Chris Pratt Is ‘Vulnerable and Not His Usual Self’ in ‘Mercy,’ Director Says (Exclusive)

Chris Pratt shows off a much different side of himself in Mercy, according to the movie’s director.

Timur Bekmambetov spoke exclusively with PEOPLE at the sci-fi film’s New York City premiere on Tuesday, Jan. 20, and opened up about Pratt’s “very vulnerable” performance.

The 46-year-old actor plays Chris Raven, a homicide detective who is accused of murdering his wife. He has 90 minutes to prove his innocence to an advanced A.I. judge during a trial — or he will be executed on the spot.

Bekmambetov, 64, recalled his favorite scene to film with Pratt, which is the last time Chris speaks to his wife before she dies. “It’s the most dramatic, edgy, painful and emotional scene,” the director said.

“This movie, it’s not just an action movie — because we expect Chris Pratt to be tough and jump and entertain us — but it’s [also] very vulnerable, very broken man. And it was unique for him,” he continued of the role. “He played this for the first time.”

Bekmambetov said Pratt surprised him with “how unexpectedly dramatic he could be.”

The first time the pair worked together was for the 2008 action-thriller Wanted. While Bekmambetov remembered being impressed by Pratt’s talents then, he told PEOPLE that Mercy “just proved for me” that he’s an incredibly versatile actor.

Interestingly, Pratt’s character spends much of the movie — which also stars Chris Sullivan, Rebecca Ferguson and Kylie Rogers — tied to a chair during his 90-minute mercy trial, marking a major departure from the Marvel actor’s usual action roles that see him running, jumping and executing complicated stunts. He spoke about the unique filming circumstances at New York Comic Con last year.

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“I asked them to confine me in [the chair],” Pratt said during a panel interview alongside Bekmambetov and costar Kali Reis. “So I didn’t have to pretend that I was strapped down.”

“I was cuffed to this chair both at the feet and at the hands,” he continued. “And for part of it with my head at the end when I’m about to be — well, I don’t wanna ruin the movie — but I’m strapped to this thing.”

“There’s a certain level of claustrophobia that you just naturally feel when you’re strapped down to something, and that was helpful, in fact,” Pratt added.

While at Comic Con, the actor also spoke exclusively to PEOPLE about how he prepared for his role in Mercy, including spending time with law enforcement officers. “I had an opportunity to work with the LAPD and their homicide division, and so I was able to go down and talk to those guys,” he said. “It was really incredible.”

Pratt shared that he got to perform stunts while working alongside the police. “I mean some of the stunt work we did was really great,” he recalled. “We got to drive, cop cars and do some cool bar fight stuff.”

Pratt said talking with the LAPD officers and hearing their stories gave him a new appreciation for the work done by law enforcement.

“Man, these guys are heroes, and the trouble that they encounter and the trauma they see on a day-to-day basis is really, really staggering,” he told PEOPLE.

Mercy is in theaters now.