Mickey is a bit of an every-man; nothing about him really stands out. He’s easily led, much to his own detriment. His friend Timo (Steven Yeun) brings Mickey into a macaroon business he borrowed heavily to set up with some unsavoury types. They don’t have the cash to back the loan sharks and the pair need to somehow get away from Earth or face a particularly brutal end.
Adapted from the 2022 novel Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton, Mickey 17 is another trip into a dystopian and bleak future beautifully crafted and visualised by director Bong Joon-Ho. His nuanced interweaving of current world events gives you a multi-layered art piece that tackles themes of identity, mortality, religion, extreme capitalism and the ethical implications that arise when a one person can be alive in two bodies at the same time.
During a standard mission Mickey 17 is left alone to freeze to death in a crevice but he survives and makes his way back home and falls into bed next to Mickey 18. The two clones are not as similar as you would expect which is a highlight of Pattison’s skills and very much intentional. 17 remembers being an expendable for over four years. He is tired, strained and awkward. The only worthwhile thing in his life is the love he shares with Nasha (Naomi Ackie). 18, on the other hand, is gruff and edgy: ready to stand up to any who oppose him, but he’s still made from Mickey Barnes. Pattinson gives us two very fleshed out and individual characters with a fantastic chemistry between the mismatched pair
Nasha (Naomi Ackie) is an elite security officer who connects with Mickey on day one aboard the ship. She loves every subsequent version of Mickey showing the pair really are bonded on a deep level. Nasha is Mickey’s ride or die, and he is hers.
It’s not very often that characters come on screen who are so well crafted that they leave you with an utter distaste. Mark Ruffalo plays ex-senator Kenneth Marshall. Marshall is the leader and in charge of the entire crew as they look to settle this new planet. Just behind him whispering in his ear is his wife Ylfa (Toni Collette) the real brains (I use that phrase lightly) behind the operation, pulling the strings of her buffoon of a husband to get what she wants and what she believes is best for all around them. Both Ruffalo and Collette lean into their facile and evil characters, ensuring you understand the sheer insanity that drive the pair. Again, highlighting some of Bong’s satirical social commentary.
Mickey 17 isn’t going to be for everyone and leaves a lot of layers to unpack. Visually, Bong Joon-Ho has crafted a dystopian science fiction world that is painting a worrying picture of (near) future humanity’s exploits but leaves just enough room for the good in people to shine through. Darkly humorous and well-paced overall, however, it’s Robert Pattison’s performance that carries a story that can get a touch convoluted. Mickey 17 entertains and tackles some deeper issues that create some lingering questions as the credits roll.
Mickey 17 releases in Australian cinemas March 6th.
