Mickey 17 (2025)

Bong Joon Ho (Snowpiercer, The Host) returns from his Oscar triumph five years ago with his first directorial effort since his worldwide smash Parasite, which remains the ONLY foreign language film to ever win the Oscar for Best Picture.  This time around, he's directing a high concept sci-fi comedy adventure taking place in the future focusing on Mickey (Robert Pattinson) who works as an "Expendable" for a growing organization looking to colonize a snowy desolate planet.  His job entails being used as a tester of various hostile environments, new viruses, potential vaccines, and any number of deadly situations which can occur on said planet.  The key to his survival is that he doesn't survive most of these ordeals....they have the technology to simply clone him again to restart the process. :o And hilarity ensues!  Also among this stacked cast are Naomi Ackie, Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette, and Steven Yuen.  For Mickey, it's time to find out if the 17th time's the Charm. ;) 

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon

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Transcript

MICKEY 17 – 2025

Directed by Bong Joon Ho

Starring Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette, Anamaria Vartolomei, Daniel Henshall, Patsy Ferran, Cameron Britton, and Steve Park

Genre: Satirical Sci-Fi Adventure

Mickey 17 is one of those movies which feels as if it has all of the pieces in place to work - including the fact that I was never bored during its entire excessive 140 minute runtime - and yet it never really comes quite entirely together to result in a fully satisfying theater experience. There are some clever ideas, some strong performances, some well-done world-building, and a somewhat sympathetic main character. Director Bong Joon Ho (Snowpierver, Parasite, and The Host - the three previous films of his which I had seen) has always reminded me a bit of a 21st century Terry Gilliam....

Bold visuals, whimsical tone, over-the-top performances, and when the filmmaker REALLY wants to express something....he just goes all out to do so, using EVERY tool in his arsenal! 😉 For prime examples of this, see the Chris Evans monologue towards the end of Snowpiercer or the grisly climax involving Robin Williams in The Fisher King. These directors are not presenting us with any types of original themes nor ideas mind you - the class divide, man's inhumanity to man, etc - but they are delivering these themes with a passion and go-for-broke sincerity which can leave you speechless.....in a good way. You're already on this mad-cap ride, enjoying the sights-and-sounds, but there's an overarching meaning to it which leaves you with a different type of thrill by the time it wraps up! 

This epitomizes why Parasite worked SO well for me and millions of others apparently - all of the visuals of that third act flood and its aftermath and how it's bringing the Kim family back to the place they started from, it's powerful stuff. But then Ki Taek's monologue about the futility of plans immediately following it just further levels you with the gut-punch you weren't originally expecting. And sadly, Bong Joon Ho's long-awaited (and delayed) follow-up to Parasite is missing that very last element. 🙄

Yes it's alternately amusing AND unnerving to witness our titular main character of Mickey (Robert Pattinson) be mercilessly treated as a lab rat "expendable" who can endure any variety of brutal means of on-screen torture to then die and be cloned back to life...again and again and again. This is all done in space in the distant future....on some uncharted planet at the behest of a ruthless industrialist/cult leader Kenneth Marshall portrayed unsubtlely with super-white teeth by Mark Ruffalo. And along the way, Mickey also inadvertently discovers a seemingly hostile race of indigenous aliens on this snowy planet - well at least they SEEN hostile as they're fast-moving creatures with a never-ending array of tentacles and teeth. Also one clone of Mickey unexpectedly survives after suspected dead....when he returns to basecamp, his new clone is already there along with his girlfriend/space officer Nasha played by Naomi Ackie (Get Out, Blink Twice). :o And hijinks ensue! 

Now all of that just cited has been revealed in the trailers and this is all set up in an extended pre-title sequence which goes for about thirty minutes. 😆 And that's the meat of it....the story never really takes off beyond that. Which is not to say it's bad as it's generally crafted well....but you can see where it's going for the most part and by the time we get there at the end, I was just left with a feeling of "OK...not bad....that's it?" 

Despite an R-rating, a top-flight cast who seems game, and an apparent large budget of production design and visual effects which are ALL up there on the screen (apparently to the tune of around $120 million), this story just never achieves any of the real satirical bite which it seems to be setting up. This is a potentially BRUTAL premise but unlike the aforementioned Snowpiercer or Parasite, it's surprisingly bloodless AND earnest. 🤔 Whether it was due to studio interference or just having a bigger canvas to paint on, Bong Joon Ho just seems to play it safer this time around.

All around, the performances are a mixed bag with likely Naomie Ackie and Patsy Ferran (Living, Darkest Hour) playing the well-meaning scientist Dorothy the highlights. Ruffalo and Toni Collette (playing his brassy wife) seem to be having fun portraying the main villains but it's all too broad while just rarely particularly funny. Steven Yeun is fine as Mickey's best friend, the opportunistic pilot Timo but it feels like he's missing some scenes. And as for Pattinson....he good with the physical comedy but the voice....well it's a CHOICE and I'm not sure it lands. He just sounds SO nebbishy to the point of insincerity which seems to be hinting at a satirical undercurrent which never quite materializes. 

Best Needle-drop (best song cue or score used throughout runtime of film): 

Considering the seeming whimsical tone of this story and the otherworldly setting, the score heard overhead is oddly low-key…which is not to say that it’s bad, just that it doesn’t often call attention to itself.  It is mostly piano-based and often gives off a more classical melancholy romantic vibe. (Audio clip) 

It comes to us from Seoul, South Korea’s own Jung Jaeil who is a frequent collaborator of Bong Joon Ho’s and his specialty has seemed to be generally lively orchestral scores as he also did for Parasite a few years ago….that was an EXCELLENT score which disappointingly did receive a nomination among the several bestowed on that modern classic at the time. (Audio clip) 

However towards the end of the film and into the end credits, there is ONE thing which truly stands out as it seems that Jung and crew just let loose with EVERY type of instrument from accordions to fiddles to even some choral voices thrown in. It’s anarchic theme which I find to be pretty delightful – I wish we had heard more of this type of music throughout the film.  The track is called, “Mayhem.” (Audio clip) 

Wasted Talent (most under-utilized talent involved with film): 

Now back to Ruffalo who plays the film’s main villain….there has been a lot of chatter online comparing him to Trump and honestly, I’m just NOT really seeing it…not that I feel we really NEED cinematic stand-in’s for Trump at this point sorry.  I just don’t find it necessary and honestly….compared to the real thing, HOW much further could you POSSIBLY go to satirize him at this point?  Basically his Kenneth Marshall has exaggerated teeth, voice, hair, and mannerisms….pretty standard stuff for your typical comedy villain.  And like I said, not particularly funny nor compelling…. (Audio clip)

Along those lines, I have to say that I’m JUST not vibing with Ruffalo as an actor in recent years….though to be fair, I have mostly seen just his more commercial roles on-screen.  The last role I truly loved him in was his passionate, Oscar-nominated turn in the Oscar-winning class Spotlight….a movie which just keeps getting better and better each time I watch it.  And of course HIS biggest scene is the film’s biggest scene…great stuff. (Audio clip)  

I also loved his measured, almost understated performance as Bruce Banner in the first Avengers (previous episode) back in 2012….actually one of THE best parts of that film.  But since then….post-Spotlight, it just feels as if he’s laboring too hard to portray silly, over-the-top characters INCLUDING what I found to be a dismal turn returning as Professor Hulk in previous episode Avengers Endgame.  He also received an Oscar nomination LAST year for playing a cartoonishly villainous lawyer in the GHASTLY, overrated Poor Things….a film I thoroughly disliked mind you.  I don’t know what’s happened to him but he seems to be allowing the make-up and effects to take over recently, resulting in weaker stuff all around.  I might be in the minority here but I hope he finds his way back to more grounded roles which is where I feel as if he has thrived the most as an actor. (Audio clip) 

Trailer Moment (scene or moment that best describes this movie):

I have to say that the creature stuff fascinated me as much as anything….they’re eventually nicknamed “Creepers.”  And for me, one overall highlight was about an hour into the film as we spend SOME time with Mickey alone with them apparently in one of their cave habitats.  He finds himself surrounded and there are several smaller ones apparently being commanded by one LARGER one which DOES look intimidating….almost like the “Brain Bug” from Starship Troopers but not quite as goopy nor menacing.  And the leader creeper lets out a LOUD scream for the smaller one to then finally EAT Mickey….or so he thought…and I’ll leave it at that. It’s a sequence which is both creepy AND funny at the same time.  

MVP (person or people most responsible for the success of this film):

At the end of the day, there’s still so much craft and creativity on screen that I’m unable to COMPLETELY dismiss this film and that still comes down to Bong who not only directed but adapted the screenplay from a novel titled “Mickey 7” which came out just about four years ago.  The degree of difficulty with regards to an original science fiction story was already up there….and trying to pull off satire is EXPONENTIALLY more challenging.  So props to him for still trying and for delivering a watchable movie in the process, Bong Joon Ho is the MVP. 

Overall Rating: 2.75 stars out of 5

Overall I'm glad that Bong got to make this movie on such a large scale though I can't be sure if he accomplished his overall vision. It's certainly more interesting than most major studio programmers nowadays but we should be aiming higher. 🫤

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And that ends another EXPENDABLE review!