By John Corrado
How do you even begin to follow an all-timer movie like Parasite, especially after it becomes the first non-English film to win the Oscar for Best Picture? You make Mickey 17, one of the biggest “blank cheque” movies of all time.
In following up his landmark Oscar-winner, Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho takes full advantage of the massive budget given to him by Warner Bros., to craft a gonzo sci-fi epic that changes tones as many times as they print out new iterations of the title character. The result is a bold mix of big ideas sci-fi, absurdist dark comedy, horny romance, and political satire.
Bong takes so many wild swings in adapting author Edward Ashton’s novel Mickey7 for the screen, that it’s hard not to admire the finished product, as bloated as it can sometimes be. No, it’s not as good as Parasite. But it is very entertaining, not least of which thanks to Robert Pattinson’s perfectly goofy-sad portrayal of the titular Mickey(s).
Pattinson stars as Mickey Barnes, a deadbeat from a future Earth, who signs up to be an “expendable” on a space mission to a dangerous ice planet called Niflheim. Every time Mickey dies, his body gets incinerated and regenerated through human printing, which has sparked an ethical debate back on Earth. His memories and “soul” are stored on a brick to be uploaded back into the new meat suit, made out of organic, composted material.
The mission is the brainchild of Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo), a failed politician who lords over the ship with his wife Ylfa (Toni Collette), and wants to populate the new planet. The only trouble is that the planet is already inhabited by Creepers; giant, bug-like alien creatures. When Mickey survives one of these missions to explore the planet, he returns to the ship, only to find that his 18th iteration has already been printed out, leading to a dreaded case of “multiples.”
First and foremost, there is a lot going on here. Pattinson’s Mickey offers elements of backstory and world-building through voiceover, with the film flashing back in small tangents that fill in the blanks of how he got here. This is an ambitious film that packs in a lot of heady themes and story threads (there is an entire setup that happens before we even get to the late-dropping title card), with Bong dabbling in big, philosophical ideas and existential dread beneath the comedic sci-fi exterior.
The film’s tone skips around, incorporating elements of gross out humour or body horror as freely as moments of slapstick comedy. But it’s held together by a single vision; this is unmistakably a Bong Joon Ho movie. If Mickey 17 left studio executives who were expecting another Parasite scratching their heads, the film plays like an amalgam of other Bong films. There are elements of his dystopic futurist sci-fi Snowpiercer and his “save the animals” thriller Okja, as well as his monster movie satire The Host.
The elements of class commentary that have defined his other works – including Parasite – are also present here, albeit in a much broader way. There is a feeling at times that the film is setting so much up, but doesn’t quite know what to do with all of it. For example, there is a racial purity element to Marshall’s vision that is briefly hinted at though not elaborated on. But the film holds our attention, with Bong constantly delivering the next amusing moment or exciting set-piece.
The main attraction, if you will, is Pattinson, who is given the opportunity to really flex his comedic chops. The actor’s distinct portrayals of Mickey’s 17 and 18 offer two different variations of the same character, and it’s when the two interact that Pattinson is really able to show off his command of the performance. It’s great to see him exploring this type of physical comedy, right down to the amusing voice he is doing.
Less effective is Ruffalo, whose over-the-top portrayal of a petty wannabe dictator is more uneven, with the performance too often feeling like a not very good Trump impression. The cast is rounded out by Naomi Ackie, who is a solid presence as Mickey’s love interest Nasha (adding the aforementioned “horny romance” element to the film), and Steven Yeun as Mickey’s former business associate Timo, who is also aboard the ship.
The other hallmark of this being a Bong film is the sheer visual delight on display throughout the imaginative, carefully crafted production. The intricate design of the ship, with its industrialized interiors, is matched by the grey, monochromatic costumes. It’s all captured by cinematographer Darius Khondji, whose compositions often captivate, and is set to an unexpectedly gorgeous score by Korean composer Jung Jae-il (Parasite).
If Mickey 17 was a box office flop that won’t (likely) get the same awards season love as Parasite, the film should still enjoy a long shelf life, with so many things going on that it would warrant a second viewing. It’s a worthy and very entertaining addition to Bong’s filmography, letting him loose on a giant canvas, and finding the perfect “muse” in Pattinson.
Film Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)
Bonus Features (4K Ultra HD):
The 4K disc includes three featurettes on the production. A code for a digital copy is also included in the package, which ships with a slipcover.
• Behind the Lens: Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 (11 minutes, 35 seconds): The cast members talk about wanting to work with director Bong, and discuss his unique approach to directing, including his use of storyboards and not shooting coverage.
• Mickey 17: A World Reimagined (9 minutes, 47 seconds): Touches on the film’s production design, costumes, and visual effects.
• The Faces of Niflheim (8 minutes, 3 seconds): The cast talks about bringing their characters to life, including the unique opportunity for Pattinson to take on a dual role, and the logistics of pulling off the “twin” effect.
• Trailers (Play All – 4 minutes, 44 seconds)
• Trailer #1 (2 minutes, 19 seconds)
• Trailer #2 (2 minutes, 24 seconds)
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