Mercy Road

This has Lynch and Hitchcock vibes.

This is mostly a about a man driving while trying to do something about a massive crisis in his life.

He does something heinous, but understandable, and we/he left to pick up the pieces.

There's something so interesting about this and modern life. People say "you never know what's going on in someone's life", but in this case his daughter is missing but still the people he works with are complaining about a task he should've done two days ago. As a viewer that's obviously a distraction.

However the most interesting thing is how the protagonist can't be trusted, but I believe the picture was real.

But was the associate real, or was that something he invented as a coping mechanism to justify what he did to save his daughter?

I struggle to watch a film like this where I stare at a character that is busy talking through a phone the whole time. The short summary: a dude is in a frantic state of mind while he's white knuckle driving and yelling through a phone with several different characters. There are some tidbits of info and an intense sound score, so you can eventually figure out what has happened, but that's the gist of the whole feature. Maybe there's a metaphor in here, or maybe it's as simple as it sounds, I dont know, but I ended uo skipping forward to relieve the monotony. Added a star for the spider scene.

Mercy Road is an electrifying thriller that plunges deep into a father's desperation and the haunting moral quandaries that follow. Luke Bracey delivers a gut-wrenching performance as a father who, already in agony over his missing daughter, takes an impulsive and brutal turn to find her. The film immediately places the audience in a whirlwind of fear and panic as his character teeters on the brink of sanity, grappling with just how far he's willing to go to bring her home.

The plot unfolds with relentless intensity. After committing an unthinkable crime in his frantic search, Bracey's character quickly finds himself on the run, making each passing moment more nail-biting than the last. The film heightens this tension with the introduction of an unknown caller-a mysterious and chilling figure who claims to know his daughter's whereabouts. This caller's cryptic and increasingly disturbing instructions create a sinister cat-and-mouse dynamic that leaves viewers guessing who can be trusted and what motives lurk beneath.

Each new task the father is forced to complete brings a heavy sense of dread and moral conflict, blurring the line between rescuer and monster. The psychological strain of these demands becomes a gripping journey into the darkest corners of the human psyche, peeling back layers of fear, anger, and regret. Mercy Road stands out because it isn't just about the external chase; it delves into the father's internal unraveling, examining how grief and desperation can lead someone to abandon their morals entirely.

The film's atmosphere is intensely claustrophobic, with a gritty cinematography style that enhances the relentless, almost suffocating pressure. Each setting feels deliberately chosen to echo the father's isolation and madness, and the pacing is tight, giving little reprieve from the character's downward spiral. You can feel the stakes rising with each interaction, each phone call driving him closer to the edge, and Bracey's nuanced portrayal brings a raw authenticity to every twist and turn.

Without giving too much away, Mercy Road manages to explore how far a parent will go for their child and the toll it takes on the human soul. Bracey's performance captures both the love and the fear that push him to extremes, and his character's journey raises tough questions about what makes us human and what we're willing to sacrifice when everything is on the line.

In the end, Mercy Road is a relentless, thought-provoking thriller that grips you from start to finish. It's a must-watch for those who appreciate intense psychological thrillers that push characters to their absolute limits.

This movie is trash. It's intense, yes, but it makes absolutely no sense!! It's insanely monotonous...a guy in his truck the ENTIRETY of the movie. BORING!! The phone calls are frantic and the phone ringing constantly is ANNOYING!! The fact that the scenery (outside the truck) is dark and foggy is bothersome. I'd personally rather watch a movie that is 'bright'. Night scenes are perfectly fine, but the whole movie? PASS!! The ending is ridiculous and makes no sense. Not to mention that you have to surmise (from various phone conversations) what has transpired before he gets in his truck. The man on the phone that appears to have eyes and ears on him is absolutely unbelievable and not in a good way! DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME WATCHING THIS MOVIE! I repeat...DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE. Keep scrolling!! Thank me later.

Mercy Road is a 2023 thriller co-written and directed by John Curran (Chappaquiddick, Eden, Bloom, Tracks, Stone, and The Painted Veil). It was co-written by Jesse Heffring (Being Rachel, The Forgotten Ones, Sigma, and Coil) and Christopher Lee Pelletier. After committing an impulsive, vicious crime while searching for his missing daughter, a frantic father (played by: Luke Bracey from Point Break, G. I. Joe: Retaliation, Elvis, American Dream, Hacksaw Ridge, The November Man, and Lucky Day) goes on the run from law enforcement and soon begins receiving chilling calls from an unknown entity claiming to know her whereabouts. As he faithfully follows the caller's increasingly unhinged instructions, he is driven perilously close to the edge of sanity while discovering exactly how far he is willing to go to save his child!!!!

Mercy Road is a nice little independent thriller from director John Curran. This one has a very simple concept and execution that mainly deals with one main character. Luke Bracey has always been a solid actor, they were really trying to push him here in America a few years ago but none of his films performed as good as they hoped so he's mainly a supporting or character actor these days so it's cool to see him as the lead here. He really carries Mercy Road with his turn here. Toby Jones is great in this, he elevated the feature and Bracey with his presence here. Like I said before, this is basically a one person movie but it does have a very small cast and everyone is solid in Mercy Road. It kinda has a Hitchcock meets Lynch vibe to it. It's unique, I can see it not being for everyone but if you get it then you'll really enjoy it. RECOMMENDED!!!!