After many delays, and a fantastic press tour, the long-awaited film by Parasite’s Bong Joon-Ho has finally hit our screens, but does it live up to the hype of his previous work? Mickey 17 follows Robert Pattinson’s Mickey Barnes, an “expendable” who is given the most dangerous tasks aboard a spaceship hurtling towards a distant planet. While for most characters on our screens death means the end, this is not the case for Mickey. After each of his interesting, and often humorous, deaths, he is reprinted and sent back out to face the tasks no one else wants to. This premise leads to a film that is simultaneously a sci-fi, a comedy, a romance, a horror and unsubtly doused in topical political messages.
In recent years, there has been a common criticism of films that I often disagree with. Films such as The Substance and The Menu are described as too obvious, and the political messages of the film too heavy-handed. In my opinion, this criticism often comes across as snobbish, as most people are not going to the cinema to delve into the director’s psyche. However, in the case of Mickey 17, even I found it a little on the nose. Mark Ruffalo plays a character so explicitly meant to be Donald Trump that I was often taken out of the film by the absurdity of it. While Bong Joon-Ho is not known for being low-key with the political undertones of his films, it can be successful when the plotline suits. Parasite works so successfully due to the tension of the film, but Mickey 17 is much more comedic, creating a caricature of modern politics.
While the themes of Mickey 17 were apparent, the film as a whole was extremely enjoyable. The storyline was fun, albeit somewhat predictable, and the world-building was breathtaking. Robert Pattinson gave a fantastic performance, and it is wonderful to see him take on a comedic role, as he suits it so well. Do prepare yourself for his accent, as it is interesting to say the least. Toni Collette was also predictably fantastic as she gave her all to the role, and was both hilarious and terrifying throughout the film, which was a privilege to see. The ethical and moral dilemmas that Bong Joon-Ho presented were fascinating, and he dealt with them with ease. I may argue that the villains felt too evil to be believable if it wasn’t for the fact that they are based on real people. Despite its heavy-handedness, Bong Joon-Ho managed to cover a lot of themes within the film, and this at least allows for a discussion to be had around colonialism, the fear of the different, and the perceived expendability of the working class.
Overall, Mickey 17 was a beautiful film that never bored me and I would definitely recommend you see it in the cinema to truly appreciate the cinematography and set design. I hope this leads to Robert Pattinson in more comedic roles, as he performs it naturally, and I am excited to see what Bong Joon-Ho directs next.
