Mickey 17 Review – Robert Pattinson Shines While Bong Joon Ho Whiffs

by Tom March 6, 2025

“Mickey 17”, Bong Joon Ho’s sequel to the Oscar-winning “Parasite”, is riddled with death, often occurring in disturbing and mundane manners. It attempts to tackle current socio-political issues through satire and high style, but lacks the captivating tone and tension of its predecessor. However, Robert Pattinson’s performance brings a twist of eccentricity that may keep you intrigued.

Mickey 17 Review – Robert Pattinson Shines While Bong Joon Ho Whiffs

– “Mickey 17” is a follow-up to Bong Joon Ho’s Oscar-winning thriller “Parasite,” starring Robert Pattinson as a character who constantly dies and is reborn on a distant ice planet. This dystopian narrative showcases themes of economic disparity, environmental destruction, and authoritarianism.
– Pattinson’s character, Mickey, has multiple versions, each with different personalities, creating interesting dynamics in the film. However, director Bong’s storytelling technique generally lacks the intensity and precision of his previous works.
– Despite featuring seamless special effects and striking dystopian cinematography, “Mickey 17”’s subplots become too complex, resulting in a scattered narrative that could use better execution.

South Korean director Bong Joon Ho, known for tackling themes of economic disparities, environmental destruction, and authoritarianism in his past works “Okja” and “Snowpiercer,” offers a disappointing follow-up to his award-winning thriller “Parasite” with his third English-language film, “Mickey 17.”

The plot follows an “Expendable” named Mickey Barnes, played by Robert Pattinson, who repeatedly dies in gruesome and mundane fashion on a distant icy planet 30 years in the future. Mickey is essentially used as a guinea pig for colonizers of the new world, getting killed off only to be reproduced and reborn with his memory intact.

Pattinson’s performance is a standout, his playful derangement offering a reprieve from the heavy-handed themes and uneven narrative of the movie. The film is based on the 2022 sci-fi novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton and delves into familiar territory for Bong Joon Ho. It also explores new concepts in the form of having two versions of Mickey, creating an interesting dynamic.

However, where “Mickey 17” falls flat is its convoluted subplots and overuse of narration, which unnecessarily complicates the world-building. Bong Joon Ho’s typically razor-sharp satire is awkwardly executed, making the film’s messages about immigration and colonization more grating than impactful.

The overall production design is a high point, offering a visual feast of dystopian landscapes while maintaining an air of gloom that suits the narrative. However, subplots involving an attempted coup and the inclusion of ‘creepers’ – creatures that are a part of the alien landscape – drag and ultimately detract from the central plot.

Mark Ruffalo’s character, Kenneth Marshall, who is the conceited tyrant in charge, and his wife, Ylfa, played by Toni Collette, are over-the-top caricatures, providing comical relief but ultimately growing tiresome.

Given Bong Joon Ho’s past achievements, one might expect “Mickey 17” to be a thrilling exploration of pertinent issues with his signature flair. Sadly, Bong’s touch is lost amid clumsy narrative choices, leaving “Mickey 17” as a disappointing endeavor, despite an inspired performance from Pattinson.

Overall, those left yearning for a return to Bong Joon Ho’s usual mastery of tone and tension, will find themselves still waiting with in this latest offering. Albeit an ambitious project, “Mickey 17” fails to build upon the promise of its initial concept and ultimately feels like a missed opportunity.