Director Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17 marks his first film since Parasite (2019) and signifies a return to the wacky sci-fi comedy genre, blending satire, dark humor, and existential themes. Set against the backdrop of a futuristic colonisation mission, the film explores deep themes of exploitation, disposability, and resistance. It delivers a thought-provoking yet entertaining cinematic experience that seamlessly shifts between slapstick comedy, grotesque depictions of wealth and power, and over-the-top action sequences. Bong Joon-ho brings his unique touch to the adaptation of Edward Ashton’s 2022 novel Mickey7, expanding on the original story’s themes while injecting his signature humor, social critique, and visual style. With a darker and more satirical edge, Mickey 17 shares thematic similarities with both the time-loop thriller Edge of Tomorrow (2014) and Bong’s Okja (2017), yet it remains distinct in its approach, offering a fresh perspective on human resilience in a dystopian future.
The story takes place on Niflheim, an icebound planet named after the Norse realm of primordial cold. The film skewers real-life figures through exaggerated characters: Mark Ruffalo’s Kenneth Marshall, an egomaniacal space tycoon who can be said to be a combination of both Trump and Musk. Toni Collette plays Marshall’s vulgar, harpy-like wife who is a female version of him and for some strange reason is obsessed with sauce. The film’s most grotesque scene stems from her cutting a creature’s tail and blending the pieces into sauce. The business/church entity behind the expedition is a metaphor for how institutionalised religion influences governments and is gleefully mocked through goofy caricatures. .
The story follows Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson), an “expendable” worker who can be regenerated after death, thanks to a futuristic human printing machine, which is taken into space as liberals have banned its use on earth. The film explores themes of disposability, exploitation, and resistance through the idea of cloning workers. Mickey 17 is the 17th incarnation of Mickey Barnes, who signs up for a space colonisation mission to escape debt and danger on Earth. The film critiques societal systems that devalue human life, portraying how technology makes immortality a curse rather than a blessing. It also offers a mirror as to how the military industrial complex dehumanises workers who are considered expendables. The film explores existential questions about the value of life and what makes one sentient being more important than another. It critiques capitalism and exploitation, showing how workers are conditioned to accept their disposability. As one character categorically states, “We’re the aliens.” The sentient creatures of planet Niflheim feel like a cross between a caterpillar and a wooly mammoth. They are called creepers and can be said to represent the natives whom the colonists everywhere subjugated.
Robert Pattinson plays dual roles as Mickey 17 and Mickey 18. He creates distinct mannerisms and voice modulations for each iteration, with Mickey 17 being a compliant worker drone and Mickey 18 a rebellious, angry figure. He’s good at playing both versions and makes them believable. Steven Yeun plays Timo, Mickey’s childhood friend who secures a pilot’s role on the mission but shows little concern for Mickey’s plight. Naomi Ackie plays Nasha, a ship security guard with whom Mickey 17 is infatuated, adding emotional depth to his character.
All-in-all, Mickey 17 balances absurdity with poignant commentary, creating a compelling narrative despite the oddities. Bong Joon Ho won a Best Picture Oscar for his last effort Parasite but Mickey 17 doesn’t quite match up to it. It’s nevertheless a timely reminder of how forced colonisation, still rampant in many parts of the world, draconian laws and dictatorial leaders are in essence making us less human everywhere.
See also: Robert Pattinson On How Anime Inspired His Acting in Mickey 17
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