Mickey 17 is a new science fiction comedy action movie from Director Bong Joon Ho (Parasite, Snowpiercer) and starring Robert Pattinson, Mark Ruffalo, and Toni Collete. It’s a passable movie in all regards, with an interesting concept, but which falls just a little bit short in execution.
Mickey Barnes is in big trouble. The Earth is falling apart, and even with everything collapsing around him he finds a way to owe a lot of money to the wrong kind of people. But Mickey sees salvation on the horizon, as a member of an expedition to colonize a new planet. The voyage to Niflheim, led by failed politician and cult leader Kenneth Marshal and his semi-psychotic wife Ylfa might just be the ticket,…that is, if Mickey can live with the cost. Much to everyone’s surprise, Mickey signs up to join the expedition as an “Expendable.” Turns out he didn’t read the fine print. As an Expendable, Mickey has agreed to be sent on the most dangerous tasks and used for the most horrible experiments. When he inevitably dies during these missions, he’ll be “reprinted,” shiny new and complete with all his memories. During the 4 year voyage to their new home planet, Mickey has died 16 times, and now been reprinted for the 17th. When he falls into an ice crevasse filled with hostile alien creatures, it’s time for number 18. When 17 shows back up very much alive, all Hell breaks loose. Having multiple versions at the same time is strictly prohibited. The Mickeys have to think fast to save their own skins, navigate the tricky maze of their romantic relationships, and to potentially save the expedition and an entire race of alien lifeforms from destruction. In the end, Mickey 17 has to answer the same question everyone does; can he live with himself?
Mickey 17 is a decent action comedy sci-fi flick. There are plenty of big science fiction explosions, spaceships, aliens, etc. The essential concepts are interesting and raise meaningful ethical questions, if you care to think about them. The characters and writing are fine, although a bit eccentric and odd, which isn’t unusual for this director. In fact, there are some definite parallels to his previous movies, although maybe toned down a bit for a different audience. Maybe it’s that “toned down a bit” that keeps this movie from being really good. It could have been ratcheted up and been truly weird, or polished to a high gloss and been more of a thinker, or maybe stuffed with more jokes to be a true comedy. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really commit to any of these options, so there’s some hit or miss in the overall execution. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie in the theater, but I don’t think it’s going to stick with me or be particularly memorable. If you want a sci-fi fix, and you aren’t looking for anything that will change your life, Mickey 17 is a decent option.
Mickey 17 has a fair amount of cursing, gore, and violence. There’s a little sex, and some incidental nudity, but nothing graphic. It’s rated R, and I wouldn’t take little kids.