Mickey 17

Writer & Director: Bong Joon-ho

Needing to find a way out of a troublesome situation on Earth, Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) joins an exploration space craft heading to Niflheim, with the aim of colonising it under the leadership of failed politician, Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo). But with no real skills to get him aboard Mickey applies to be an expendable. A human, who is prepared to die and die again to advance humanity. This leaves Mickey at the mercy of the most dangerous jobs and scientific experiments. But his life changes when incarnation number 17 doesn’t die to plan, it presents a whole new “multiples” problem!

This is a bit of an odd mix of a film. It has good bits, but not quite enough. It has a lot to say, but often too little to say. It also feels long, but by the end it feels like it whizzed by! It’s not a bad film, but it’s a film that didn’t completely work for me.

It does try to cover a lot. A failed politician, backed by religious fundamentalists, to create an alternate world, full of the “right types”. It also covers colonialism, abuse of power, rise of the right and genocide. But it’s not a dark film, at its heart is Mickey, who just wants to be happy and to live a life, but has to literally fight with himself to do so.

Of the things that work, Robert Pattinson is at the top of that list. He brings personality to each Mickey and brings plenty of heart to 17. Alongside him Naomi Ackie’s Nasha is a strong foil to Mickey’s insecurities. Ruffalo and his screen wife Toni Collette chew plenty of scenery and are somewhere between fun and grating.

It also looks great with intriguing local inhabitants and fun print gags when recreating Mickey iterations.

But it is also a little jumbled and at just shy of 140 minutes feels it’s stretching its welcome.

Mickey 17 is a film of attempted big Ideas but not all of them land. There’s an enjoyable Robert Pattinson performance at the heart of it and it looks great. But it also feels a little confused and at times feels all of its 140 minutes long. Stuff to enjoy, but maybe not quite enough.