Mickey 17

If you haven’t caught the trailers yet, Mickey 17 is a sci-fi flick about a guy who signs up to be an “expendable” on a space mission to colonize another planet. The concept is both simple and absurd - Mickey gets assigned all the deadly tasks, dies horribly, and then gets reprinted to do it all over again.

I’ve seen a lot of Bong Joon Ho movies, and this one is definitely in line with his unique style. It’s got that mix of dark humor, social commentary, and surreal visuals that he’s known for. I’m not sure it works with how wacky it gets, and sometimes the slapstick comedy feels a bit out of place, but the bar is so high for him that even a lesser film is still worth watching.

The movie doesn’t shy away from showing just how unglamorous this process is. Mickey literally flops out of the printing machine like a wet fish, sometimes without even the courtesy of a roller to catch him - he just splats on the floor. His job description includes cheerfully testing poisons and deadly atmospheres, all with the knowledge that hey, there’s always another Mickey coming!

Things get complicated when Mickey 17 survives a mission but the crew already prints Mickey 18. Suddenly there are two Mickeys, which is a big no-no in their rulebook against “multiples.” Classic clone hijinks ensue.

Robert Pattinson absolutely kills it playing both Mickey 17 and 18. Watching him interact with himself shows off his impressive range - these characters may share DNA, but their personalities couldn’t be more different. Mickey 17 is a bit of a doormat, while Mickey 18 is cocky and self-assured. Pattinson nails both roles! Still funny to me how we got some of our generations greatest actors from the twilight series.

The supporting cast brings their A-game too. Mark Ruffalo is doing this bizarre Trump-like impersonation that I still can’t decide if I loved or was confused by, but it was certainly memorable. And Toni Collette with her inexplicable obsession with sauce? I have no idea what that was about, or how it fit into the plot or thematically, but it was there!

One unexpected highlight was the alien creatures - they were incredibly cute! I legitimately wanted to reach through the screen and hug them. The design team deserves major props. Their little shooting the tongue into the air dance thing was adorable.

The film goes in some truly unexpected directions. It’s much more comedy-focused than the trailers suggested, with a lot of goofy dialogue and weird tonal shifts. I sometimes found the deeper point a bit hard to follow - there’s clearly some commentary about identity and consciousness, but it occasionally gets lost in the wackiness.

Saw at the New Parkway in Oakland, CA. If you haven’t been, it’s a great place to catch indie and foreign films. They have a full bar and serve food to your seat, so you can enjoy a meal while watching the movie. The vibe is super chill and laid-back, perfect for a date night or catching up with friends, and it’s all couches and love seats.