It’s January But The Worst Movie of 2026 Has Arrived
Chris Pratt’s latest venture into the world of science fiction is creating quite the stir, though perhaps not for the reasons he hoped. While the Guardians of the Galaxy star is used to universal acclaim, his new thriller Mercy is revealing a significant disconnect between professional film critics and the movie-going public.
The futuristic film, which debuted in theaters on Friday, January 23, places Pratt in a high-stakes race against time. He portrays a detective named Chris who is accused of murdering his wife, played by Annabelle Wallis. In this dystopian reality, he must stand trial before an artificial intelligence judge, portrayed by Rebecca Ferguson, with only 90 minutes to prove his innocence or face immediate execution.
To prepare for the part, the actor spent time with members of the Los Angeles Police Department’s homicide division. He described the experience as eye-opening, calling the officers heroes and noting that the trauma they see on a day-to-day basis is really, really staggering.
However, his dedication has not won over everyone. As of now, Mercy holds a starkly divided score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics giving it a measly 22 percent while the audience score sits at a much warmer 81 %.
Critics have been blunt in their assessments. Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter warned that the film should be avoided by anyone suffering from screen addiction, suggesting it is as tiresome as the technology it critiques.
Manohla Dargis of the New York Times was similarly unimpressed, comparing the protagonist’s predicament to that of the audience, who is unhappily stuck in a chair watching a lot of onscreen nonsense. Peter Howell of the Toronto Star went even further, describing the movie as lazily written, chaotically directed and played out with all the zest of a convenience-store security video.
Daniel Barnes of Dare Daniel found the film’s use of a real-time countdown clock to be a mistake. He remarked that such a feature acts as a stark reminder of all the time you’re wasting when the content is this dull.
AI is the future of criminal justice, and it’s closer than you think. Mercy is only in theaters January 23. Filmed for IMAX. Experience it in 3D. pic.twitter.com/Hmrdr8j3G9
— Amazon MGM Studios (@AmazonMGMStudio) December 9, 2025
Despite the critical drubbing, many fans are coming to the film’s defense. One viewer praised the movie for proving Pratt is more than a one trick pony, while another dismissed comparisons to Minority Report, claiming that Mercy is actually superior and more engaging.
Another fan noted that the pacing succeeded in keeping them engaged throughout the 90-minute trial. Of course, not every audience member was sold, with some labeling the plot convoluted and sloppy in their one-star reviews.
Outside of the courtroom drama, Chris Pratt has been keeping a very busy schedule. Aside from the January release of Mercy, he is gearing up for his voice role as Mario in the highly anticipated The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2, expected to dominate the 2026 box office. He is also set to return to the small screen in the second season of The Terminal List on Prime Video.
His co-star Rebecca Ferguson is equally busy as she is set to appear in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, The Magic Faraway Tree, Dune: Part Three, and the upcoming season of Silo.
Share your thoughts on whether you side with the critics or the audience regarding Chris Pratt’s performance in the comments.
