Mickey 17 Bites off More Mickeys Than It Can Chew
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
By Luis Zonenberg
Following the success of his critically acclaimed international hit Parasite, Bong Joon Ho returns with a cheeky sci-fi tale that is sure to win audiences in search of a Robert Pattinson fix. This is only Bong Joon Ho’s second English language film after Snowpiercer, which premiered well over ten years ago, and I was very excited to see how it would compare to his previous film. Which is why it was all the more disappointing to see Mickey 17 fall short of the magic that Parasite had.
The story focuses on Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) who gets tangled up in a failed business venture with his friend, Timo (Steven Yeun). They soon decide to flee Earth by signing up as crew members of a colonization ship led by failed politician Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo). Mickey works onboard as an “Expendable,” a disposable worker who gets cloned every time he dies. This eventually results in a case of multiples where two Mickeys exist at the same time, which is strictly forbidden and punishable by death!
The story only gets crazier from there, working in a war with an alien race called the Creepers and a love square with two Mickeys and two security agents, Kai and Nasha. The story is very overstuffed and feels crammed, making it feel like plenty of necessary sequences were cut from the film. The tone was at odds with itself throughout, going back and forth between being a dramedy and cheeky sci-fi B-movie.
When it comes to the overall cast, Pattinson was the absolute standout! He absolutely sells it as a down-on-his-luck employee, with his naive charm and lovestruck personality making for a rather engaging performance. The only other standout would be Anamaria Vartolomei, with her having the most complex and engaging character of the supporting cast. The rest were very hammy and over the top, not feeling very authentic despite how fun they were to watch.
The cinematography was a real highlight though, truly carrying the weight of the movie throughout. It cleverly captured those nice intimate moments, as well as the grand vastness of space. Watching this in Cinemark XD—the equivalent of IMAX—especially allowed those massive shots to capture the grand scale of the moment. This really made it more of an immersive experience, allowing for a more engaging watch throughout.
The VFX were also really spectacular, with the two Mickeys onscreen serving as the ultimate highlight and the most convincing effect overall. An occasional shot of space or an extreme death looked a little cartoony at times, but nothing ever stood out like a sore thumb. The design of the Creepers though was very unique and fit the world Bong Joon Ho and company created.
The film’s story falls under the weight of its obvious commentary, making it a true disappointment when compared to the Oscar-winning Parasite. The film seems to be at odds with its tone, with its over-stuffed story dumbing down plenty of its characters to prove the overall message it’s trying to convey. While not without its technical merits, Mickey 17 serves as a middling sci-fi venture in Bong Joon Ho’s ever expanding filmography.
Mickey 17 is now playing in theaters.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
