“Mickey 17,” a dark comedy sci-fi satire by acclaimed South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho came out in theaters Friday and is funny, heartwarming and relatable.
Based on Edward Ashton’s 2022 novel “Mickey7,” the film takes place on an icy space colony in a dystopian future. Robert Pattinson plays the protagonist, Mickey Barnes, who works as an “expendable” on the intergalactic expedition to colonize the fictional snow planet of Niflheim.
After losing money on a macaron venture, Mickey and his friend Timo, played by Steven Yeun, become indebted to a sadistic loan shark who threatens to chase them to the ends of the earth. The pair decide to flee the planet and join an expedition to colonize another planet, led by flamboyant politician Kenneth Marshall, played by Mark Ruffalo.
Mickey unwittingly signs up to become an expendable, undergoing a procedure to store his memories in a hard drive, so he can be cloned in a human printer every time he dies. As an expendable, Mickey is used for the most dangerous tasks on the expedition, risking his life to progress their journey and often losing it in the process.
“Mickey 17” follows the story of the 17th Mickey clone, who is mistakenly presumed dead after falling in a ravine where he is rescued by the strange alien inhabitants of Niflheim, the creepers. Mickey 17 finds out a new clone has been printed and is living aboard the expedition’s ship.
Two clones co-existing is illegal and punishable by death, putting Mickey and his romantic partner Nasha, played by Naomi Ackie, at odds with Marshall.
Despite its bizarre science fiction setting, “Mickey 17” is a relatable film, as funny as it is heartwarming.
Joon-ho is no stranger to making socio-political commentary through science fiction metaphors, and the film is full of subtle and not-so-subtle critiques about class, colonialism and the media.
Unlike Joon-ho’s other class-conscious sci-fi film set on a snowy planet, “Snowpiercer,” “Mickey 17” leans much harder into comedy. While some of the comedic beats fall flat, the film is full of funny moments thanks to the incredible performances from its supporting cast.
Ackie’s performance as Nasha is a highlight, portraying a grounded and rational character without sacrificing her keen sense of comedic timing. Ruffalo’s performance as Kenneth Marshall sets a tone for the film’s extravagant and weird comedy, and is an over-the-top impression of celebrity entertainers that is equal parts Jay Leno, Baby Billy and Donald Trump.
Do not let its grandiose setting misguide you, “Mickey 17” is a surprisingly simple movie full of great acting and creative directing.
