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Djawadi focuses mostly on the technological element in this score, along with the concept of brutalizing oppression to define how the various lines of his music were programmed downward in the sonic spectrum. Orchestral in parts but sounding synthetic by design, the score utilizes varying levels of manipulation and other tired techniques of the day. Stylized voices sometimes address the surveillance state, as at the start of "Mercy." Electric bass guitar lends coolness to some places, and outright sound effects related to communication interrupt at times. Outright annoying at the outset of a few cues are derivatives of hand clapping effects. The soundscape is sometimes muddied intentionally to sound muted and dreamlike, as in "Soul." Generally speaking, the organic presence at work here, especially the strings, wasn't necessary after all the processing was done. No organic solo elements play any significant role. Synth female vocals do represent the judge in this case, but that contribution is underplayed. Djawadi's demeanor is generally alienating and scary with occasional soft interludes for character interactions, the latter the only truly palatable moments without some dissonant interference. The entirety is otherwise unpleasant aside from these diversions. Much of the second half of the work degenerates into mindless, pounding chase methodology, the lengthy "Initiate Plan A" being narratively useless. On the upside, there's a surprising amount of promising development in the score's themes, but they all struggle to enunciate. The main one receives prominent placements, but the others are awash in the atmospheres. That primary idea is the dark justice theme for the sorry state of future affairs. At least it's easy to identify due to its muscular, seemingly-fake brass posturing in the bass with obvious six-note phrasing, often in pairs. There's actually quite a bit of potential built into this descending phrasing, as it has a feeling of arresting finality to its expressions, but Djawadi somehow loses focus on this idea and allows it to dissolve as the score moves forward, suggesting its role for the villains of this plot when that is not the case. The oppression of the future society will still exist in some form, and so must the theme.

The main, dark justice theme of Mercy receives its due attention in its primary performance during "Mercy," stomping into the cue at 0:50 and capping it at 2:31 with repeated malice. An elongated version deceptively carries the early portions of "Judge Maddox," and the theme taunts in variants in the latter half of "Burner Phone" before an explicit reminder of its main phrasing at the cue's end. After stewing in manipulated form early in "Killbox," an electric bass guitar strums through the justice theme in the second half of "Clear Your Name." Fragments churn through the middle of "Put Your Case on the Record" before the idea threatens again in its deepest tones during "How Many Were Innocent?" and "Big Mistake." Finally, it's angry though not really all that prominent in its abrasive synthetic slashing during "Order Must Be Restored." This theme has a secondary motif consisting of four-note cycles around key with various activity set against it as something of a rhythm. This material never develops into any identity of its own after its suggested introduction on fake pan pipe tones at 1:31 into "Mercy," at which point it repeats for a lengthy passage. That underlying rhythm informs the middle of "Judge Maddox" against the main justice theme and aggressively underpins the suspense in "Anxiety." On the slightly more optimistic front in Mercy, you have a humanity theme for the protagonist that is meant to soften the concept but only adds to the dystopic feel through its dull renderings. Somewhat ethereal in "Soul" as it branches off from the main theme for a more compelling line, this idea is very faint in the middle of "Burning Clock" and extended more extensively on hazy string tones in "Clear Your Name." More hesitantly paced in "I'm Sorry," this secondary theme gratingly overtakes the justice theme at the two-minute mark in "Order Must Be Restored." These ideas are decent in construct but never form a satisfying arc, the closing "Restore Cloud Access" accomplishing nothing with them. Undoubtedly, Djawadi earned his pay for Mercy given the quality and nature of the film, but he's a better composer that this music would imply. The tone might be basically correct, but with any AI-themed film, no matter how stupid it proves to be, there's always an opportunity to innovate in ways that AI itself wouldn't be able if it were writing the score on its own. Djawadi missed a chance to prove that point.  **   @Amazon.com: CD or Download

Total Time: 58:04