MICKEY 17 - Review | Berlinale 2025

Bong Joon-ho’s latest film clearly aims to satirize oppressive control, colonialism, and ignorance for minorities in his most well-defined English language film to date. Blending the best elements from Snowpiercer (2014) and Okja (2017) while feeling like a more singular blockbuster of its type due to the extravagant and wild influences found in Bong’s Korean work. Even with some redundant backstories, predictably, and questionable character choices. Robert Pattinson engagingly leading the watchable cast along with its darkly humourous approach of standing up to authroites with unique sci-fi elements. These aspects come together to show that it would not have been as effective of a film under the hands of a less creative team.

Still Courtesy – Warner Bros. Pictures

Set in a distant future, Mickey Barnes' (portrayed by Robert Pattinson) life of seclusion and debt on Earth leads him to join a spaceship crew as an expendable with the aim of colonizing the snow planet Nilfheim and starting a new civilization. Led by sleazy politician Kenneth Marshall (portrayed by Mark Ruffalo) and his wife Gwen (portrayed by Toni Collette), a cloning machine is used to respawn Mickey every time he dies when something goes wrong while being used as a lab rat. After the 17th version of Mickey manages to escape a situation perceived to have killed him, he returns to the ship and has to deal with an 18th version of himself having been created. Especially for a society where multiples of oneself are deemed illegal and punishable by death.

The sci-fi influences from films/shows like Moon (2009), Arrival (2016), Edge of Tomorrow (2014), Prometheus (2012), Star Trek, and more could not be more apparent when watching Mickey 17 (2025). This also applies to its themes of prejudice, value of life, and self-ish leaders using those below them to their advantage; the extravagant situations and line delivery of characters make these themes straight-forward to comprehend. To be fair, South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho has adapted to a style where the majority of films would be considered to lack subtly when it comes to understanding their deeper meaning.

This would even apply to his last film, the Palme d’Or and Best Picture winner Parasite (2019), that’s clear as day for what it’s commenting on. However, the expressive, twisted, and memorable manner Bong presents his stories with engaging characters make them endlessly watchable from beginning to end. As a result, letting Bong bring his unique vision to a Hollywood blockbuster that could have resulted being corny without his involvement; it was the best idea Plan B and Warner Bros. could have made to bring Ashton Edward's book (Mickey7) to the big screen.

Especially when seeing how actors like Robert Pattinson and Mark Ruffalo choose to deliver their bizarre performances using playful and sardonic accents that feel the future generations of their characters from The Devil all the Time (2020) and Poor Things (2023). Under Bong’s direction of making every character feel grand and exaggerated, these bold choices end up fitting with the tone while continuing to prove how Pattinson and Ruffalo marvellously pull-off playing against type. Despite being the stand outs, each core member of the ensemble cast have their own moments to command their screen presence and provide enough for their characters to leave an impact after watching it. This includes Naomi Ackie as Nasha, an eccentric and horny security agent who’s able to separate herself from only being labeled as Mickey’s love interest as she gets more to do while the story progresses. As an admirer of her performances in French films like Happening (2021) and Le Comte de Monte-Cristo (2024), it’s nice to see to Anamaria Vartolomei as Kai Katz make her breakthrough in Hollywood films whose able to bring a seductive but fierce energy whenever she’s on screen. Since Bong was the Jury President for the 2021 Venice Film Festival where the film she starred in, Happening (2021), won the Golden Lion, it wouldn't be surprising to find out that he wanted to cast her after seeing the work she did on the film.

Still Courtesy – Warner Bros. Pictures

Something to mention is that just like Bong’s previous work, this film is able to find a great balance of being humorous with rather dark subject matter. Much of this comes from scenes with shocking/bloody moments being presented in a light-hearted manner; creating juxtaposing elements that only makes these sequence of events more distinct. A notable example would be seeing in what directions a dinner scene between Mickey and Kenneth Marshall goes in. Honestly, The Substance (2024) is fair comparison as to how Mickey 17 (2025) chooses to execute its story; in an excessive and playful manner that impresses rather than distracts. However, Mickey 17 (2025) isn't as consistently engaging as something like The Substance (2024) due to structure/plot details that end up disrupting the pace of the film. When Mickey 18 gets introduced, that's the catalyst of the story kicking in when viewers start truly getting engaged to see how the story will unfold. However, there ends up being a flashback shown right after that shows who's responsible for making multiples illegal; it ends up feeling like a deleted scene that halts the progression of the main story rather than adding to it.

It's been mentioned how this film clearly aims to be a satire; making the execution of its themes seem simplified. However, it doesn't excuse the film from coming across as predictable when reaching the climax and seeing how the most expected outcomes for the story end up occurring. If there's something to be said about Bong's previous work and many other satires like The Substance (2024) and Triangle of Sadness (2022), they find the right balance of going in surprising and twisted directions while always feeling like a natural progression based on what was previously established. Mickey 17 (2025) certainly contains many hilarious and exciting sequences with Bong's expressive style being clearly apparent. However, the payoff ends up being something that can predicted as soon as the film starts. It doesn't help that a major object used in the climax ends up having an inconsistency where it doesn't function like previously established.

Still, Bong bringing many of his Korean collaborators (including editor Yang Jin-mo and composer Jung Jae-il) to work on this film provides it with those upbeat and precise elements that makes South Korean cinema stand out from the rest. Most notable with the striking score reminiscent of the plain piano melodies and layers of bombastic strings found in Parasite (2019) along with the meticulous editing that never slows the film down. It's great to see Bong bring his voice to a much grander and mainstream production than what he's usually used to making (even though all of his English-language films tend to be his largest in budget). It's also great that it truly feels like something that came from him instead of a studio not letting him get final cut (which was initial scepticism when seeing how often the film got delayed from its initial release date one year ago). With only some touches to be made with the organization of the script, it doesn't stop Mickey 17 (2025) from being his most effective English-language film to date while still not matching the spark from most of his Korean-language work. Regardless of the language that's spoken, Bong continues to prove how he's one of the most ravishing directors working today with films as provocative and mesmerizing as this one where every character has a reason to like or hate them.

Verdict

8/10

Still Courtesy – Warner Bros. Pictures