‘Mickey 17’ review: Bong Joon-ho’s twisted, weird look at colonization is perfection
4.5/5 clones
Bong Joon-ho is one of our more interesting filmmakers and Mickey 17 is no different. The film, which stars Robert Pattinson as a series of clones named Mickey, looks at the colonization of a new planet and the greed that comes along with it.
Mark Ruffalo plays a greedy former politician who takes a group of people to space to try and find a planet that they can all live on after global warming destroys our environment. His wife (Toni Collette) is obsessed with trying to perfect a sauce and the two are superficial and determined to be leaders of this new world. But part of their expedition means that they need “expendables” to help along the way. That’s how Mickey joins in.
Mickey and his friend Timo (Steven Yeun) are trying to run from their past and while Timo gets to live a better life, Mickey has to repeatedly die in high stakes jobs because he can be reprinted. We start the journey with “Mickey 17.”
The film itself is set around Mickey 17 being left for dead but he survived, meaning that a Mickey 18 was already printed and he has to try and navigate hiding the fact that two Mickeys exist. But what makes this movie such an impressive feat is Pattinson’s ability to make each of the Mickeys unique to their numbers. Mickey 17 is sweet while 18 is more abrasive. But each Mickey goes back to Nasha (Naomie Ackie), the love of every Mickey’s life.
For all the cloning and the twists in Mickey’s life, the constant is Nasha and seeing how each Mickey interacts with her and cares for her makes this more than just your average science fiction story.
A love story at its core
Bong Joon-ho is the master of weaving a deeper message within an off the wall story. His films like Snowpiercer and Okja tackle heavy themes within a simplistic set up. Mickey 17 is a bit more complicated in its set up but still manages to nail what makes Joon-ho’s work so fascinating to audiences.
Where Parasite was a look into capitalism and the wealth disparity in the world, Mickey 17 is rooted in mankind’s determination and will to survive. Even when things are dire and these explorers are trying to live on and it is the compassion of men like Mickey that allow them to survive. Even if those in power want to destroy everything to claim this new world for their own.
Mickey 17 could have easily been a one note movie but between Joon-ho’s brilliance and Pattinson’s ability to tackle different emotions in each Mickey, we get to see a story that is more of a hard-hitting look at humanity and what someone is willing to sacrifice in order to survive.
This movie is weird in the best of ways. Out there, compelling, and beautiful while still keeping you on the edge of your seat and you’ll love every single second of it. And it doesn’t hurt to watch multiple Robert Pattinsons running around.
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