Mickey 17 Movie Review

Bong Joon Ho follows up best picture winner Parasite with a terrific sci fi satire comedy that has big heart at its core.

Unlikely hero Mickey Barnes finds himself in the extraordinary circumstance of working for an employer who demands the ultimate commitment to the job… to die, for a living. Bong Joon Ho follows up Parasite with a sci fi satire comedy that is insightful, funny, along with a big heart at its core that love, self-worth, and human connection is what leads to happiness not being subservient to corporate greed and an over inflated ego billionaire that treats people like ants that are means to an end for their hubris to fill their bottomless pit where their soul is supposed to be. The visual effects, CGI, and production design in the film are fantastic they look seamless that invoke stuff that you have seen before but are able to be distinct.

Bong Joon Ho is one of my favorite directors working today the way the way he can blend different genres, tones, and structures together in a way that feels cohesive that comes together that does not feel sloppy or all over the place is incredible to watch. This film delivered in a similar but distinct way from parasite, Snowpiercer, and Okja Hos choices of how he tells this story the satirical tone works so well in making a commentary on capitalism along with having a big heart at its core which takes a skilled director to pull off. Bong does a great job with the pacing of the film it never drags there is a confidence from him that you wish was in so many more films that come out today.

The cast in the film is great starting with Robert Pattinson as both Mickey 17 & 18 who have distinct personalities, mannerisms, along with a great chemistry of Pattinson playing off himself is a tough thing to pull off which he does in spades. The way 17 has low self-worth, not a lot of confidence to push back against authority is a great contrast to 18 who is no nonsense plays so well with the voice Pattinson uses for both characters is incredible you can’t believe that voice is coming from Pattinson which is a testament to his ability as an actor to take swings like this that work. Naomi Ackie is fantastic in this film as Nasha who works in the corporation with Mickey and is his lover who loves him for him even getting jealous and possessive over both 17 & 18 which comes across funny and lovely at the same time. Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette as these corporate CEO assholes are great, they are over the top but sadly believable when you look at CEOS, tech bros, or any political leader who is a dictator around the world you see them in these characters. The last cast member I want to highlight is Steven Yeun as Timo is a great sniffling little shit who seems like your friend but is only looking out for himself he will always do what’s best for him like when he leaves Mickey to be eaten alive in a cave or when he sells him out to the asshole CEOS he is self-serving and Yeun is entertaining as hell to watch.

Technically this film is impressive across the board for instance the cinematography is beautiful not only to look at but in immersing you in the world of the film like how the snow planet is shot makes you believe you are on a foreign snow planet. The production design also helps with the audience immersion for example the space station looks amazing from the main floor with the CEOS give their speeches to the quarters of where the workers stay is familiar to other sci fi movies but is distinct at the same that stands as its own thing. The CGI in combo with the special effects look seamless there is not one frame where you don’t believe what you are watching is real there is a tangible reality that Bong Joon Ho and the effects teams have created that has a reach out and touch it feel that you don’t get from too many blockbusters these days.

Final thoughts on Mickey 17 are I love this film it is not my favorite Bong Joon Ho film I still feel Parasite, Memories of Murder, Mother, and Snowpiercer are better but this one is still a damn good movie that deserves to be seen in the theater so if you haven’t seen yet please go see it so we can get more films like this in theaters then go buy it on 4k Blu-ray and VOD I will give a 4 out of 5.