Coming off the global success of Parasite, Bong Joon-ho’s return to sci-fi with Mickey 17 was always going to be highly anticipated. Adapted from Edward Ashton’s novel Mickey7, this satirical space oddity delivers a well-crafted and often darkly amusing ride—though it occasionally loses steam and can’t help but hammer its points home a little too hard. Still, with Bong at the helm and Robert Pattinson let loose in the lead role (or rather, roles), it’s an experience worth having.
Set on the ice planet Niflheim, Mickey 17 introduces us to Mickey Barnes (Pattinson), an “Expendable” whose job is to die over and over again on behalf of a colony mission. Every time he dies, he’s printed anew—memories intact—and sent back out to do it again. By the time we meet him, he’s on his seventeenth incarnation… or so he thinks. Things take a turn when Mickey 18 arrives on the scene, and from there, things get stranger.
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Tonally, Mickey 17 is a confident, if sometimes uneven, blend of sci-fi, satire, and dark humour. The film plays in the same absurdist space as Snowpiercer and Okja, but it’s Pattinson who truly carries the tone. Whether hunched and sardonic or wide-eyed and manic, he makes each version of Mickey feel distinct—even when the plot’s logic about how these clones differ gets a little fuzzy. It’s clear Bong let Pattinson go a bit wild here, and the result is a lead performance that’s often the film’s most entertaining element.
As a satire, the film doesn’t always go for subtlety. Bong takes a more straightforward approach this time around, tying his characters and situations directly to today’s politics, certain politicians, and social issues. Mark Ruffalo’s amusing turn as the cult-like colony leader Kenneth Marshall, and Toni Collette’s gleefully villainous Ylfa, are fun to watch, though their characters veer firmly into caricature. Naomi Ackie also delivers as Mickey’s partner Nasha, offering some of the film’s more grounded moments amidst the chaos.
The concept of the Expendable and the cloning premise is well-realised, even if there are moments that raise questions. Why Mickey 18 is so decidedly different, for example, when the film suggests the clones should be exact copies, left me a little puzzled. Still, the core ideas work well enough to keep the story moving.
At 2 hours and 17 minutes, Mickey 17 runs a little longer than it needs to. The first half establishes its themes and satirical targets quickly, but as the film progresses, the pacing slows, and the energy dips. A tighter runtime might have made for a punchier experience.
Visually, the film is polished. The production design of the colony ship is impressive—an enclosed society that feels lived-in and thoughtfully constructed. Niflheim, by comparison, is less compelling. The design of the alien planet and its native creatures, the Creepers, leans more towards cute than threatening, and while that’s likely intentional, it makes them feel overly familiar.
Mickey 17 doesn’t quite reach the heights of Bong’s best work, but it’s an entertaining, well-performed satire with flashes of brilliance. It’s dark, goofy, and occasionally thought-provoking, even if it trades depth for obviousness. For fans of Bong’s more playful side and those happy to watch Pattinson revel in his oddball era, it’s an enjoyable, if imperfect, sci-fi romp.
