In 2020, South Korean director Bong Joon Ho defied the odds when his dark comedy Parasite earned him a pair of Oscars for Best Director and Best Picture.
Ho returned to theaters earlier this year with the sci-fi comedy Mickey 17.
Unfortunately, it seems very unlikely that Ho will repeat his Oscar-winning feats with this film, but Mickey 17 is very good in its own right.
Now that it has a new streaming home, Mickey 17 is also Watch With Us‘ pick for the one movie you should stream this weekend.
The Many Deaths and Lives of Robert Pattinson
Robert Pattinson headlines the film as Mickey Barnes, but not for long. The original Mickey dies early in the film, but he knew what he was getting into. Mickey was so desperate to escape life on Earth that he took a job in space where he’d have to perform duties that would get him killed. And each time Mickey dies, he’s reborn as a clone again and again until we reach Mickey 17.
Pattinson gives Mickey’s various clones their own individual touches and personality traits, and one of the film’s darkly comedic highlights is watching him die horribly. But when Mickey 17 and Mickey 18 share the screen, Pattinson plays them as distinct personalities. He’s really good at finding a deeper aspect of humanity in himself, even during the movie’s funniest scenes with his characters. Pattinson’s no stranger to romance either, and both of his Mickeys want to be with their girlfriend, Nasha Barridge (Naomi Ackie). But there’s just one of her and two of him.
It’s An Effective Sci-Fi Satire
If Ho was trying to use Mickey’s expendable nature as a metaphor for capitalism’s effect on ordinary people, then it’s effective. It just isn’t very subtle. But as a satire, Mickey 17 plays with the idea that the other people in Mickey’s life are completely desensitized to his plight. Even Mickey’s best friend, Timo (Steven Yeun), finds it easier to let Mickey 17 die from exposure than risk his own life to save him. As far as Timo is concerned, there’s no reason to make any special effort when there’s an endless supply of Mickeys waiting back at the base.
Mark Ruffalo‘s character, Kenneth Marshall, may also remind viewers of some real-world dictators who don’t care about human lives or environmental damages. He’s a means justify the ends kind of guy, and a suitable figure in this movie about the distinct lack of humanity shown by many of the major characters. Marshall’s depiction may be a little on the nose, but there’s never any question that he’s the bad guy in this story.
‘Mickey 17’ Manages To Find Empathy For Its Aliens
Without spoiling too many specifics, the aliens depicted in Mickey 17 become increasingly important to the story as the film progresses. These semi-grotesque creations are called Creepers, and Ho uses their plight as a metaphor for humanity’s failure to protect animals and the planet’s ecosystem from the worst impulses of our collective nature.
The key difference is that the Creepers actually articulate humanity’s crimes against their kind… and they can do something about it. Ho makes us feel empathy towards them, and they aren’t the villains of this story — we are. The Mickeys may also have a chance to make amends with the Creepers before something cataclysmic happens to their fellow humans.
Mickey 17 is streaming on Prime Video.
