Mickey 17 Review
Robert Pattinson is the kind of actor you’re happy to see playing double on your screen. Director and writer Bong Joon-ho certainly knew this when he cast the actor in Mickey 17. This science fiction romp spins audiences’ heads with its existential questions, darkly comedic tone, and the sheer visual spectacle of Pattinson embodying multiple iterations of the same character, each with their own subtle, unsettling nuances.
Mickey Barnes (Pattinson) signs himself up to become an “expendable,” which means he is cloned each time he dies. This means he can be sent on dangerous missions and put in life-threatening situations, knowing he will return. On an expedition to colonise an ice planet, Mickey has had enough of dying. Pattinson has shown his incredibly diverse range in his previous projects, turning his hand from a crazed lighthouse keeper in Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse to some serious voice acting in Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron. The story rests easily on his shoulders as he finds his own way of characterising each iteration of Mickey distinctly. This particularly worked because Bong clearly allowed Pattinson ample room to explore the complexities of his roles, trusting the actor’s instincts to deliver a multifaceted performance.
Naomi Ackie plays Mickey’s love interest, Nasha, a strong-headed security agent. What truly elevates her performance is Ackie’s ability to create unique, sizzling chemistry with each version of Mickey, showcasing the nuanced differences between them. Steven Yeun also turns in a humorous performance as Timo, Mickey’s sneaky best friend who is ultimately out for his own interests. Mark Ruffalo’s characterisation of the megalomaniacal leader, Kenneth Marshall, is overacted, but seeing how the plot unfolds, this becomes understandable. Toni Colette s him as his wife, Ylfa, who weaves the leader’s plans behind the scenes.
Adapted from Ashton Edward’s novel Mickey 17, this world feels lived-in. Everything, down to the design of the ship the crew inhabits, is etched with care. It’s clear Bong prioritised this when crafting this film. Through the script he co-wrote with Edward Ashton, they masterfully balance the film’s absurdist humour with its philosophical questions in presenting mortality as a revolving door. The pacing, though deliberate, maintains a captivating tension, drawing the audience deeper into Mickey’s fractured reality. The Parasite director’s signature way of filmmaking is used powerfully to transform the desolate ice planet into a character alongside the native species that live there. In particular, the design of these creatures is fantastic. They are created to look like woodlice or, to the keen eye, croissants, which only lends itself to the zesty humour that accompanies the narrative.
A thought-provoking exploration of identity, mortality, and the very essence of humanity, this is a raucously funny and visually arresting cinematic experience. This captivating yet unsettling vision of the future will leave audiences entertained but ultimately with deep questions. Mickey 17 is more than a science fiction spectacle; it’s a meticulously crafted exploration of the human essence.
★★★★
In UK cinemas March 7th / Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, Toni Colette, Patsy Ferran / Dir: Bong Joon-ho / Warner Bros. Pictures / 15
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
