“What’s it like to die?” That is the question characters constantly ask Mickey Barnes, played by Robert Pattinson, as he dies over and over again in Bong Joon Ho’s latest film “Mickey 17.” Five years after winning numerous accolades for his film “Parasite,” including Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director, Joon Ho returns to the cinema with his science-fiction film “Mickey 17,” which he directed and wrote.
The film follows Mickey Barnes, a space colony worker called an “expendable,” who carries out lethal missions and is brought back to life with a newly printed body and his restored memories. The story is based on the novel “Mickey7” by Edward Ashton, with the numbers seven and 17 referring to the number of times that Mickey has died and come back to life. These missions that he alone carries out are ordered by American politician Kenneth Marshall, played Mark Ruffalo, who is spearheading the colony’s attempt to voyage from Earth to inhabit the snow planet, Niflheim, leading to some complicated matters throughout the plot.
The inciting incident of the film is that Mickey 17 is reported dead after a mission on Niflheim. Except, he is not. He returns to the colony’s base, only to find another him already printed, Mickey 18. Now, the trope of an actor playing two characters alongside each other in a movie is a gimmick that appears to have lost its novelty in recent years. However, Pattinson gives an amazing performance as both Mickeys that proves that he has come a long way in his career since the infamous “Twilight” films. Mickey’s role in the film is also gripping as he is the only one, or two, in the colony who is treated as disposable and not even slightly human. Although, he is far from the only creature on Niflheim to be treated as such.
Niflheim’s snowy aesthetic is beautiful to look at, being visually on par with Arrakis from Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” films. The planet hosts indigenous creatures that have become persecuted by Marshall’s space colony. Ruffalo gives a great performance as Marshall, who believes Niflheim is the best planet to raise the perfect humans. He attempts to select people within the colony who he believes have the “perfect genes” for his idea of mankind. This subplot is not only a better version of the plots of James Cameron’s “Avatar” movies, but it also comes off like an insightful commentary on the inception of America and the present-day fruits of those actions.
An example of this is Marshall’s discrimination toward the indigenous creatures by calling them Creepers and wanting to exterminate them all, believing them to be a threat to his vision for humanity. Ruffalo’s performance also feels in line with a certain politician in today’s political climate that has sparked strong reactions within the American public. Whether that performance choice was intentional or not, no one can deny that the similarities are present.
This story has impeccable writing and performances that lift them up off the script and onto the screen. However, there is a weak link in the film’s script. During the colony’s voyage to Niflheim, Mickey falls in love with a character named Nasha. Why do they fall in love with each other? Because the story requires them to. What is it about Nasha that Mickey finds attractive? The plot. Is there anything about Nasha’s character worth mentioning? Not really.
Nasha is not a character in the movie. She is someone who has relations with Mickey for no other reason than that the plot requires that she does. This being an R-rated film, most of Mickey and Nasha’s relationship portrayed on screen is more grotesque than wholesome for a love story. There is literally a scene in this movie with Nasha and both Mickey, and let’s just say they nearly recreated a scene from last year’s “Challengers” that should not be Googled. Outside of the grotesqueness, the relationship does not add anything to the plot. It is more of a distraction than a contribution, which does not help when the movie is already over two hours long.
“Mickey 17” is an interesting film at the end of the day. It is clearly not a film for everyone and has different things that could appeal to a more niche audience. If you are someone who does not like gore or sex in your movies, do not go see it. However, if you are someone that is passionate about film, go and give “Mickey 17” a chance. The performances are great, the main storyline has some good writing and the world of Niflheim is visually beautiful. If you turn out to be none of those, but a fan of Pattinson when he was in “Twilight,” at least go and see the film for him. After all, you get to see at least two Edward Cullens on screen. What more could you want?
