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One of 2025’s most anticipated movies, Mickey 17, arrives this week, as Oscar winner Bong Joon-Ho returns to the big screen for the first time since 2019’s Parasite.
Robert Pattinson stars as Mickey, a nice but dim-witted man living in a future version of Earth. In financial difficulties, he signs up to be an “expendable” on the intergalactic colony of Nilfheim. Once there, he realises he should have read his job description, as the role requires him to undertake assignments he is not expected to survive, with a new body being regenerated each time he dies.
When his 17th clone is incorrectly announced dead, he discovers he has been replaced by another, Mickey 18. The pair must evade capture from their employers, who would kill them if discovered, and find a way to rebel against the system that has oppressed them.
The mastery of Bong’s storytelling is that his stories are often serious tales presented in ways that at first seem light or frivolous. The bizarre dystopian premise of 2012’s Snowpiercer gave way to something much more shocking, while Parasite used black comedy to grease the wheels of a biting consumerist satire. Mickey 17 has more in common with the latter. It is both laugh-and-loud funny and incredibly profound.
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The story rages against the idea of social hierarchies in humanity, and wraps affection around those fighting for a better and more equal society. It’s delivered beautifully, with gorgeous visuals and a sharp script.
Pattinson has proved over the last decade that he is far more than the Twilight franchise that launched him. Having played superheroes, lovers, and criminals, he now showcases his ability as a comedic powerhouse. He achieves remarkable chemistry with himself (Yes, you read that right, Pattinson plays all the different versions of Mickey, making versions 17 and 18 their own unique creations) to the point where it no longer seems strange to see two versions of the actor on screen.
He’s met with strong support from Naomi Ackie, playing a security agent who learns of two Mickeys, and becomes a love interest of sorts to both. She provides an excellent counterpoint to the two Pattinsons, furthering the film’s themes of identity and joy.
There’s also the wonderful duo of Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette as the politician/ruler of the planet and his wife who is the real power behind the throne. Ruffalo gives a hint of his buffoonish Poor Things performance while Colette is an icier take on Tilda Swinton’s authority figure in Snowpiercer.
As detestable as they can be, the pair are also an utter delight to watch.
The type of movie modern cinemas need, Mickey 17 is a complex and thrilling story that defies classification. It’s another masterpiece for Bong, whose name should at this point conjure the same kind of excitement as Christopher Nolan or Quentin Tarantino.
It may only be March, but it’s hard to see any big-budget movies matching this for cinematic delight.