Comedy
Fantasy
Review: ‘Mickey 17’ is a Quirky Sci-Fi Masterpiece that’s Equal Parts Comedy and Pathos
March 6, 2025Ben MK
|
Best known for such movies as Parasite, Snowpiercer and Okja, Bong Joon Ho is a filmmaker with a bold creative vision. Whether it's a taut psychological thriller, a futuristic tale of science fiction, or a quirky fantasy drama, Bong's ability to balance the far-fetched with timely sociopolitical commentary is something that has helped him defy not only the boundaries of genre, but language as well. It's a recipe for success that has solidified him as one of the most unique voices in cinema. And with Mickey 17, the 55-year-old filmmaker is back with his most ambitious project yet, in this story of a man who unwittingly signs up for one of the most thankless and difficult jobs in the universe. The year is 2054, and Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) is that man. Originally from Earth, Mickey and his business partner, Timo (Steven Yeun), were motivated to flee their home planet after the ruthless loan shark they borrowed money from threatened to put a violent end to their lives. However, what initially seemed like a godsend opportunity for the pair to escape certain death — an interstellar space mission to colonize the distant planet Niflheim, spearheaded by a failed politician and his wife (Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette) — soon becomes a living nightmare for Mickey, after he mistakenly volunteers to become the expedition's one and only Expendable. Signing over his body and soul to the mission, Mickey finds himself tasked with only the most dangerous jobs on the ship, with the assurance that every time he dies he will be reprinted back to life using state-of-the-art cloning technology. What he never anticipated, though, was to fall in love with Nasha (Naomi Ackie), a fellow traveller and the only other person on the ship to see Mickey for the human being that he is. Despite gruesomely dying and being resurrected over and over again, Mickey can always count on Nasha to be there for him — even though the real him could technically be reduced to the terabytes of data residing on the brick-sized hard drive used to imbue recycled organic matter with his memories and genetic composition. Tensions arise in their relationship, however, when Mickey's 17th clone — who was presumed dead after his latest assignment — returns home one day to find his 18th iteration has taken over his life. It's an awkward situation that will see Mickey 17 and Mickey 18 both vying for Nasha's love and attention, while also fighting it out with one another for their very survival. When it comes to the real enemy, though, they'll soon discover that it's not each other they should be concerned about, but the unhinged leader of their expedition itself, whose own twisted aspirations not only threaten Mickey's existence, but also mankind's future on Niflheim. Based on Edward Ashton's acclaimed novel, Mickey7, the result is a sci-fi blockbuster the likes of which moviegoers seldom get to see. From its satirical underbelly, which include Ruffalo's portrayal of a self-righteous and delusional leader with an orange spray tan and obvious veneers, to the design of Niflheim's native species — creatures that resemble giant pill bugs — there's no mistaking Mickey 17 for anything other than another Bong Joon Ho masterwork. What will stay with viewers, however, is Pattinson's fearless performance. Equal parts comedy and pathos, it's a role that further cements Pattinson as one of the most versatile actors of his generation. And while Mickey 17's overall offbeat tone may hold it back from achieving mainstream greatness, one thing's for certain — Pattinson is absolutely deserving of any award nominations he receives. Throw in some thought-provoking questions revolving around identity and what it genuinely means to be human, and you have the makings of a future classic that's destined to be studied in the years to come by cinephiles and philosophers alike. Much like The Matrix before it, what Bong has crafted is a truly complex story disguised as blockbuster entertainment. Just don't expect a cookie-cutter sci-fi adventure — after all, Mickey might be a clone, but Mickey 17 is one of the most brilliantly unique films to come along in years. Mickey 17 releases March 7th, 2025 from Warner Bros. Pictures. The film has an MPAA rating of R for violent content, language throughout, sexual content and drug material. Its runtime is 2 hrs. 19 min. |
