A brief review of “Mickey 17”: a witty space odyssey

After the success of the Oscar-winning film “Parasite,” director Pon Joon-ho is back on screens with a new dystopian sci-fi comedy, “Mickey 17.” The movie, based on the novel by Edward Ashton, features actor Robert Pattinson (“Batman”) as Mickey Barnes, who agrees to become “expendable” on the icy planet Niflheim, and every time he dies while helping humanity establish a colony on this strange, new world, he’s cloned again.

The anticipation for Pon Joon-ho’s next movie after “Parasite” was huge: fans held their breath when “Mickey 17” was delayed. There were high hopes for this movie, but like many movies, it has its flaws. Nevertheless, “Mickey 17” managed to deliver the shocking, satirical and insightful movie that one would expect from this director.

Mickey 17 — nothing without its story

This comedic sci-fi movie has traces of “Metropolis” and “Starship Troopers” in terms of plot, tone and visuals. Pon Joon-ho still brings his dark and slightly weird humor to the story to show the audience something completely new and unique. With inept scientists, chainsaw-wielding mobsters, a cloned troika, woolly alien ice worms and some guy in a pigeon suit, “Mickey 17” boldly goes where no sci-fi movie has ever gone before.

But at the heart of the mind-bending story — Mickey’s journey to self-love and self-acceptance. The way Mickey views his miserable job as “punishment” for his supposed role in his mother’s car accident gives great emotional depth to this morbid tale of death and rebirth. Even when Mickey finds himself in the role of the two Multiples, they remain two halves of the same whole because of the way they guide each other. In the end, despite political, religious and philosophical quibbles, the movie shows that Mickey is far from useless, no matter how many times he’s cloned.

Humor and Satire

Like 2013’s “Parasite” and “Sasquatch,” Pon Joon-ho presents another satire on social class, with lower-class workers like Mickey sent to their deaths in the name of “destiny,” receiving very little in return. The movie is a timely parody of American politics with Mark Ruffalo as the charismatic but goofy politician Kenneth Marshall.

Marshall and his caring wife Ilfa lead the colonization of Niflheim, but their goal — to breed a “pure” human race on the icy planet and exterminate the local “creepers” — screams Nazi rhetoric, reflecting how fascist ideology is ingrained in mainstream politics. Even after Marshall’s assassination, his supporters and critics never cease to argue endlessly with each other.

And even after Marshall’s assassination, his supporters and critics never stop arguing endlessly with each other.

Actor cast

Robert Pattinson plays a dual role in the movie — Mickey 17 and 18. There is a clear contrast between these two Multiples, with Pattinson dissolving into his roles as the self-pitying 17 and the assertive but cruel 18. Similarly, Ruffalo and Collette stand out as the cartoonishly evil and dim-witted villains. Naomi Akey vividly plays the character of Nashie as her character is infused with fear, rage, love, and humor. Her angry tirade in Marshall’s face about his immoral behavior alone deserves an award and recognition from the audience.

But one can’t help but feel that the movie didn’t fully explore the characters of Steven Yeun and Anamaria Vartolomei. Timo, played by Ian, sort of takes a back seat as the plot centers on Mickey and his clones, and their subplot about mob debts passes them by. In “Mickey 17,” Vartholomew’s Kai also showed much more potential. Her grief over the death of a friend and her clashes with her superiors showed that she still had a lot of room for growth. Unfortunately, her character was somewhere in the background for most of the second half of the movie.

She’s a character that was somewhere in the background for most of the second half of the movie.

Should I watch “Mickey 17?”

“Mickey 17” — is a sci-fi movie that is definitely worth seeing after six years of waiting. Pon Joon-ho has proven time and again that he is a master of his craft by making exceptional movies in different genres. And his new movie is no exception.

Despite the fact that there are so many characters, problems and storylines in the movie, it is shot well and understandable for the audience. It is a very entertaining movie that touches on several relevant issues. Overall, “Mickey 17” — is a powerful story that explores the true worth of a human being, be it a clone or a little creeping alien, making it an outstanding addition to Pon Joon-ho’s filmography.