‘Our entire life is a punishment...’
Bong Joon Ho rose to international prominence following the success of Parasite (he was already beloved in cult cinema circles), and it’s very on brand of him to take six years to follow that film up and to do so with Mickey 17 – an absolutely bizarre cinematic experience with zero mainstream pretensions whatsoever. Now that’s an auteur. Unfortunately, while the film itself is always interesting, it’s not entirely successful…
In 2050, two friends take out a loan to open a macaroon business (they are the new burgers, apparently). Mickey (Robert Pattinson) is good-natured, affable and naive, whereas, Timo (Steven Yeun), his business partner and friend, is more streetwise and manipulative. When the macaroon business inevitably fails, a violent loan shark sends our heroes on the run into space. Timo lands on his feet with a good job (as usual), but Mickey is forced to take on the role of an ‘Expendable’ – a crew member who is sent into dangerous situations, is often killed, and is then brought back using a kind of sophisticated 3D printer. The Mickey we meet at the start is the 17th iteration of Mickey (hence the title). Elsewhere, the colony ship is ruled over by Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo), and his wife Yifa (Toni Collette), who are undoubtedly a pair of lunatics.
While this is a film that is visually stunning (it contains some of the best CGI I’ve ever seen), and occasionally emotionally affecting, it’s also a bit of a mess. Despite clocking in at well over two hours, the pacing is all over the place. The first hour is rushed, and the result is that the relationship between Mickey and Nasha never really feels earned or authentic. Indeed, there is a nagging feeling that this could have been brilliant as a six-part miniseries rather than a feature film. I wanted to spend more time in this world before we raced to admittedly excellent conclusion. I will also say that I love Mark Ruffalo, but he stinks the place out here, and Collette is totally wasted.
Gripes aside, however, the final thirty minutes are utterly gripping, with Pattinson excelling in a dual role, and Naomi Ackie also shining despite the fact that it feels very unlikely that her highly competent character, Nasha, would fall for a complete loser like Mickey. It helps the film is often genuinely funny, and that Bong has a clear anti-colonialism message which is compelling if a little predictable.
Mickey 17 is far from Bong’s best work, but it’s another innovative and unique entry into what is a formidable filmography – definitely worth a watch.
