Subscribe
Follow Us
Topping a Best Picture-winning movie like Parasite was always going to be an impossible task for Bong Joon Ho, who swings for the fences in his Robert Pattinson-led Mickey 17.
It feels like the movie has been in the ether for years, thanks to the still image of Pattinson's character in the cloning machine that was shared what feels like decades ago. Mickey 17 may have had the Killers of the Flower Moon treatment (anyone else remember the infamous picture of Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone?) but is far more ambitious.
Pattinson has shown his range since leaving Twilight behind. He has played unhinged pastors (The Devil All the Time) and criminals on the run (Good Time) since he stopped sucking blood, and now, you can add two clones to his impressive resume.
He plays several clones in Mickey 17, but the attention largely goes to the 17th and 18th. Mickey is an “expendable” on an expedition to discover a new planet, led by Kenneth Marshall, played by Mark Ruffalo, who is doing his best Donald Trump and Elon Musk impressions.
Despite their core memories and personality traits transferring from one clone to the next, Mickey 17 and 18 are distinctly different. They convey different personalities, and Pattinson champs at the bit to portray them.
Mickey 17 isn't perfect, as Bong's script isn't as tight as Parasite's. It struggles when the focus shifts away from the title character, and it is never as gripping as Bong's last movie.
Still, it gets credit for its way of dealing with mortality. Beneath its sci-fi shell is an intimate story about a man who cannot die forever and how he grips with it.
Mickey 17 review
Mickey (Robert Pattinson) is in big trouble. His “friend,” Timo (Steven Yeun), puts them both in debt with a powerful crime boss who will travel to the ends of the Earth (and other planets) to collect debts.
So, they decide to apply for a program that will take them to an undeveloped colony. While Timo gets in with his natural charisma, Mickey applies as an expendable. That means he will be used for risky assignments and cloned whenever he dies.
Shortly after beginning the expedition, Mickey meets Nasha (Naomi Ackie), his love interest. She is his one constant in a life full of restarting, staying with him during their journey.
Things go awry when Mickey #17 is presumed dead in a cave. He makes his way back to the base, only to discover an 18th clone. This particular clone is the juxtaposition of #17; he is confident, slick, and risk-taking.
While they do not coexist well, they must work together to overthrow their oppressive leader, Marshall. Marshall is attempting to colonize the new planet and rule it with an iron fist.
Mark Ruffalo gives a terrifying performance
Ruffalo is another standout due to his performance. There is no subtlety in his performance, as he leaves nothing to the imagination, with Marshall obviously being a riff on Trump and Musk.
His cadence and love for drama resembles Trump, as does his lust for power. However, his robotic nature — which Ruffalo nails — is all Musk.
Taking the piss out of real-world public figures is a big swing. Ruffalo is unafraid of stepping on anyone's toes with his performance. It is a bold swing if nothing else.
His wife, Ylfa, is played by Toni Collette. She is a controlling figure with her own motives, making them a dangerous combo. However, it does feel similar to most of Collette's roles post-Hereditary.
She has one gear: being an unhinged lunatic. While she excels at it, I know she has more in her. Mickey 17 is not a good portrayal of her potential.
Robert Pattinson's tour de force
The main attraction of Mickey 17 is Robert Pattinson. A bona fide movie star, Pattinson is one of the most bold actors working. His co-star, Ruffalo, has similarly played two roles in I Know This Much is True, and he does a wonderful job in Mickey 17.
It is not just the quantity of Pattinson's performances but the quality of them. Mickey 17 and 18 are so different, and Pattinson does a convincing job of making them two personalities.
While not as drastic, it reminds me of James McAvoy's work in Split. Dialect is crucial to a movie like Mickey 17. Pattinson's accent is like a mixture of his characters from Good Time and The Batman.
There isn't much Pattinson cannot do. He has come a long way from his Twilight days, and it seems every passing performance is him proving himself as more than Edward Cullen.
Bong Joon Ho goes big
Mickey 17 is the biggest movie Bong Joon Ho has done so far. It has the scale of a blockbuster like Star Wars and the headiness of Blade Runner.
Whether it be an affluent Korean family's home or a train hundreds call their home, Bong also successfully fleshes out his worlds. Mickey 17 is no exception. Most of the movie takes place on Marshall's ship, which looks like something out of Star Wars (the snow world Marshall attempts to colonize looks like Hoth), and yet, it doesn't feel that far off in the future.
Bigger doesn't always equal better, but Bong proves capable of handling a blockbuster-sized movie production. Mickey 17 never sacrifices quality for quantity, and it shows.
Previously, Bong has made adaptations. One of his best movies, Memories of Murder, is an adaptation of a stage play. However, I am unsure if Mickey 17 being an adaptation weighs it down at all.
It is hard to say for sure, having not read the source material. Mickey 17 has some brilliant ideas, but they aren't all fleshed out. Some supporting characters, such as Kai (Anamaria Vartolomei), disappear as fast as they are introduced.
There is also a major lull in the middle of the movie. It comes after the two existing clones are discovered. Thematically, Mickey 17 is strongest when its title character struggles with his mortality.
When there are two Mickeys, #17 struggles to see #18 with Nasha — he is a spectator in his own life, a theme I wish the movie explored further. It would be like when George sees the world without him in It's a Wonderful Life.
As interesting and heady as it can be, Mickey 17 never gets the same grip Parasite had on viewers. Parasite got to the point, and watching the Kim family's tight-wire act kept you on the edge of your seat. There is no such tension in Mickey 17.
Should you watch Mickey 17?
I'm still not sold on Mickey 17 being the next big thing. Bong Joon Ho's follow-up to Parasite had unfair expectations, given its greatness. He revisits familiar themes, like elitism and classism, but not as deeply as his past work, unfortunately.
Robert Pattinson gives it his all in Mickey 17, and his dual performances will rightfully be praised. Luckily, the story of Mickey 17 is straightforward, letting his performance shine through.
Even at two hours and 20 minutes long, it could have been even longer. Mickey 17 could easily be a three-hour epic or a miniseries event, given how many plots it has.
Perhaps one of those options would have benefited it even more. It's not that Mickey 17 isn't a good movie as it is, but there is so much untapped potential in it.
Grade: B
Mickey 17 will be released on March 7.
