Oscar winner, Bong Joon Ho, has returned 6 years after releasing the smash hit Parasite in 2019, this time with a sci-fi blockbuster that carries similar cultural critiques to that of his previous film. While tonally different to Parasite, Mickey 17 takes notes from his other previous films such as Okja and Snowpiercer to communicate the reality of our modern social climate.
In a not-so distant future, Mickey (Robert Pattinson), a failed entrepreneur, needs to escape the decaying Earth, along with what seems to be half of the planet’s population. The quickest way to accomplish this? Become an “Expendable,” which is future-Earth’s new word for exploited laborer– Bong Joon Ho hits it right on the nose there. Mickey hopes this will be the answer to all his problems, but surprise, surprise, it creates more problems, similar to how it creates more Mickeys. Now that humankind can have their consciousness downloaded and their masses reprinted, living more than one lifetime has become a reality. We learn that he has experienced 17 different existences now and is about to face his 18th, until it becomes clear that Mickey 17 never perished.
Enter the multiples. Mickey 17 and Mickey 18 both are alive and well– well, one more so than the other, but also both played by Pattinson. Mickey 17 is a shy, awkward character while Mickey 18 is demanding and determined, easily overrunning the life Mickey 17 had been setting up for himself with Nasha. Nasha (Naomi Ackie) is a powerhouse, she is rough and tough, seemingly unflawed, as she is skilled in almost every facet of life in space. She is not to be messed with, unlike Mickey 17 who could be run over easily, as demonstrated by Mickey 18. Ackie is scene stealing as is Mickey 18, who both demonstrate an attitude that 17 lacks, yet the humor produced by the trio is certainly strong and a massive highlight of the film. Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo) provides the conflict and plenty of comedy himself as he channels a combination of Duncan Wedderburn (Ruffalo’s character in Poor Things) and a certain political figure that has tormented this country for the past several years. Additionally, Ylfa, Marshall’s wife (Toni Colette), plays a manipulative and cruel woman who puts on a charming front.
Marshall and Ylfa obviously play a massive part in Bong Joon Ho’s social critique as the characters spew plans of colonizing, exterminating native species, creating a pure white colony, and preaching words from their cult-like church. The political pieces act as a mirror to the modern political climate, but also prompt audiences to reflect on the themes of power presented before, while conveniently using dark comedy elements to get the message across. The fact that Mickey 17 is a blockbuster definitely weakens the punches we know Bong Joon Ho is capable of throwing as the story feels inflated at times, but ultimately keeps audiences engaged by giving us an inside look into the characters Mickey 17, Mickey 18, and Nasha. Mickey 17’s narration quickly places the audience into his mindset and reveals his motivations, values, and weaknesses, which also acts as a reminder to us that although Mickey can be reprinted, he is still human and shares common morals and goals.
Mickey 17 uses a common formula by combining space and politics, but does so in a way that is so on the nose that it becomes satirical and uses dark comedy to its advantage. Other films have tried and failed this method, but Bong Joon Ho’s commitment to strangeness and commentary kept the film afloat in areas that other filmmakers may have let it sink.
Written by Marli Dorn
In a not-so distant future, Mickey (Robert Pattinson), a failed entrepreneur, needs to escape the decaying Earth, along with what seems to be half of the planet’s population. The quickest way to accomplish this? Become an “Expendable,” which is future-Earth’s new word for exploited laborer– Bong Joon Ho hits it right on the nose there. Mickey hopes this will be the answer to all his problems, but surprise, surprise, it creates more problems, similar to how it creates more Mickeys. Now that humankind can have their consciousness downloaded and their masses reprinted, living more than one lifetime has become a reality. We learn that he has experienced 17 different existences now and is about to face his 18th, until it becomes clear that Mickey 17 never perished.
Enter the multiples. Mickey 17 and Mickey 18 both are alive and well– well, one more so than the other, but also both played by Pattinson. Mickey 17 is a shy, awkward character while Mickey 18 is demanding and determined, easily overrunning the life Mickey 17 had been setting up for himself with Nasha. Nasha (Naomi Ackie) is a powerhouse, she is rough and tough, seemingly unflawed, as she is skilled in almost every facet of life in space. She is not to be messed with, unlike Mickey 17 who could be run over easily, as demonstrated by Mickey 18. Ackie is scene stealing as is Mickey 18, who both demonstrate an attitude that 17 lacks, yet the humor produced by the trio is certainly strong and a massive highlight of the film. Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo) provides the conflict and plenty of comedy himself as he channels a combination of Duncan Wedderburn (Ruffalo’s character in Poor Things) and a certain political figure that has tormented this country for the past several years. Additionally, Ylfa, Marshall’s wife (Toni Colette), plays a manipulative and cruel woman who puts on a charming front.
Marshall and Ylfa obviously play a massive part in Bong Joon Ho’s social critique as the characters spew plans of colonizing, exterminating native species, creating a pure white colony, and preaching words from their cult-like church. The political pieces act as a mirror to the modern political climate, but also prompt audiences to reflect on the themes of power presented before, while conveniently using dark comedy elements to get the message across. The fact that Mickey 17 is a blockbuster definitely weakens the punches we know Bong Joon Ho is capable of throwing as the story feels inflated at times, but ultimately keeps audiences engaged by giving us an inside look into the characters Mickey 17, Mickey 18, and Nasha. Mickey 17’s narration quickly places the audience into his mindset and reveals his motivations, values, and weaknesses, which also acts as a reminder to us that although Mickey can be reprinted, he is still human and shares common morals and goals.
Mickey 17 uses a common formula by combining space and politics, but does so in a way that is so on the nose that it becomes satirical and uses dark comedy to its advantage. Other films have tried and failed this method, but Bong Joon Ho’s commitment to strangeness and commentary kept the film afloat in areas that other filmmakers may have let it sink.
Written by Marli Dorn
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