You should be dying to see “Mickey 17”
It would not be an exaggeration to say that South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho has been feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders for the past couple of years. His last film, “Parasite,” is commonly regarded as not only one of the best movies of the 2010s, but of all time, and for good reason. “Parasite” is a masterpiece in every sense of the word, achieving literally everything it sets out to do and then some. It is confident filmmaking at its finest, being one of the most satisfying thrillers to ever come from across the world. I will not dare to reveal any plot in the event the readers have not seen it, but what is important to understand is that “Parasite” is a hard act for anyone to follow, even for Bong himself. All that being said, “Mickey 17,” his brand new sci-fi comedy, is pretty darn good despite it all.
“Mickey 17” follows the titular Mickey Barnes, an “expendable” on a space expedition to an icy planet that the gigantic crew seeks to colonize. Mickey, played by Robert Pattinson, has one job as an expendable: to die, over and over again. He is sent out on dangerous missions with expected lethal results, and when he dies, he is “re-printed” and given a new number. The premise was definitely an aspect that hooked me instantly, and I was excited to see where Bong was able to take it. Thankfully, the concept does not go to waste and leads to places that I never thought possible.
First and foremost, the performances in this are nothing short of fantastic. Steven Yeun plays Mickey’s sleazy friend who draws him into the space mission in the first place. He plays that role perfectly, despite the fact that I am definitely used to seeing him in more heroic roles. Mark Ruffalo plays the leader of the mission, a failed congressman who lost his previous two elections, and begins the space program as a result. His character will likely be one of the film’s more talked-about aspects, as he is essentially playing Donald Trump. Politics aside, his comedic performance got consistent laughs from myself and my theater’s audience. However, the real star here is Pattinson as Mickey. He makes a character that could easily be annoying and makes him incredibly likeable and endearing. The voice he does for Mickey is super unique, and I was unsurprised to discover that Steve-O was a point of inspiration for the performance. If you have seen the film, then you might also know that Pattinson actually plays two characters, and he makes both of them super distinct from one another. The scenes where his characters interact are some of the funniest and most engaging in the entire movie.
Bong Joon Ho is still able to flex his directorial muscles, as all of this film’s technical aspects are really impressive, most notably, the production design. Whether we are in the spaceship or on the near-distant future Earth, Bong is able to make worlds feel so lived-in. In this film, Earth really is a place you do not want to be, and that is conveyed perfectly through the dark, desaturated sets. Similarly, the shuttle that Mickey and the crew live on for several years feels more like a space prison than a ship, which perfectly reflects how Mickey feels trapped in his job.
The movie has a really distinct look, and I think it is a perfect fit for the film’s tone. It does not have as many breathtaking shots as “Parasite,” but it does not need them. It looks quirky, which is probably the word I would use to overall describe the film. Although I would say that there are some overarching problems that the movie runs into with pace, the editing is generally very good. The music is another aspect worth talking about, as I thought that composer Jung Jaeil’s score for the film was also incredibly fitting. The whole soundtrack has a silliness that always contrasts it with sweeping, emotional arrangements, something which I loved.
I have seen some online discourse about whether or not “Mickey 17” is a worthy follow-up to something like “Parasite,” and I think that is a somewhat unfair way to look at it. To expect Bong Joon Ho to follow up one of the greatest movies of all time with something of the same or higher quality is a little unfair. “Mickey 17” is not the brilliant thriller that “Parasite” was, but it never needed to be. The film is a funny, mostly low-stakes romp that takes after “Looney Tunes” far more than something like “Parasite.” Regardless of some of the film’s flaws, “Mickey 17” is a great time at the theater thanks to beautiful visuals and a killer Robert Pattinson performance.
