Mickey Barnes dies, then he dies again, then he dies again, over and over in ways that are both grotesque and banal. And that’s one of the more entertaining parts of “Mickey 17,” Bong Joon Ho’s frustratingly uneven follow-up to his Oscar-winning thriller “Parasite.”
With his third English-language feature, the South Korean auteur explores some of the same themes of the previous two, “Okja” and “Snowpiercer”: gaping economic disparities, humanity’s destruction of the planet and the dangers of authoritarianism. These topics are sadly more relevant than ever given the right-wing ideology that’s swept across the globe in recent years, and he depicts them with his signature high style and brash satire.
Still, for fans of 2019’s “Parasite,” “Mickey 17” may feel like a disappointment. Perhaps anything would be. Long gone is the exquisite mastery of tone and tension he displayed in his historic Best Picture winner. Writer-director Bong’s latest is more of a free-wheeling affair: heavy-handed in the points he’s making yet scattered in his narrative. At one point during a climactic swirl of visual effects, I wondered to myself: What exactly is happening, and how did we get here?
And yet Robert Pattinson’s performance is so gonzo, so gleefully deranged, that he keeps you hanging on and hoping he’ll succeed in a variety of incarnations. Starring in a Bong Joon Ho film is another example of the inspired choices Pattinson has made post-”Twilight,” whether he’s working with indie greats like Claire Denis, Robert Eggers and David Cronenberg or bringing his angular emo presence to Matt Reeves’ darkly artful “The Batman.” You can see why he’d be drawn to this role: It allows him to get a little goofy while showing a ton of range.
Based on the 2022 sci-fi novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton, “Mickey 17” follows the masochistic misadventures of Pattinson’s titular character. He is an “Expendable” on a faraway ice planet 30 years in the future. The hapless Mickey has signed up (without actually reading the fine print) to die repeatedly, only to be reprinted in his own body with his own memories. His job is to run interference for the colonizers of this brave new world, whether it’s breathing potentially toxic air or testing experimental vaccines. Whatever violent end he meets, he figures it’s better than the threats that were in store for him from gangsters back on Earth. The montage of him dying and being reborn represents the sweet spot for Bong with its mix of dark humor and brisk pacing.
During one particularly perilous mission, he collapses through a cave and is left for dead in the snow–by the friend who got him into this situation four years earlier, of all people. Steven Yeun, who also appeared in “Okja,” is always a welcome presence, but there isn’t much to his character besides selfishness and opportunism. The techs back at the lab figure this version of Mickey (#17) has died, so they print out a new version of him, Mickey 18. But when Mickey 17 returns intact, it’s a violation of the government’s rule against multiples, so the two must figure out how, or even whether, to coexist.
While Mickey 17 is a good-natured people pleaser, Mickey 18 is arrogant and aggressive. The idea that there would be deviations in their personalities is a clever one, and it gives Pattinson room to play with his voice, delivery and demeanor. The special effects are seamless as they perform opposite each other in a variety of maximalist scenarios. Having two Mickeys is also an exciting prospect for his sexually voracious girlfriend, Nasha (a spirited Naomi Ackie), a brave and loyal security officer. Meanwhile, another co-worker, Kai (“Happening” star Anamaria Vartolomei), is attracted to the kinder version of him.
But they all live in fear of the smooth tyrant who runs the whole operation, Kenneth Marshall, played by a preening, puffy-haired Mark Ruffalo. His buffoonery can be amusing, but his self-aggrandizement is unmistakable, as is the pursuit of genetic supremacy that drives his mission. Marshall even has a catchphrase and a cadre of hangers-on in red baseball caps. Ruffalo and Toni Collette as his scheming wife, Ylfa, lean hard on the loathsome nature of their characters, which is good for a few laughs but quickly grows tiresome.
“Mickey 17” gets a little too complicated around the arrival of Mickey 18, despite the frequent narration from Pattinson explaining the way this world works. Much of it speaks vividly for itself, thanks to the beautifully dystopian cinematography from Darius Khondji and the imposing industrial gloom of Fiona Crombie’s production design. Subplots spin out of control and drag on interminably, involving a coup and the indigenous critters known as “creepers,” which resemble gray suede armadillos and are simultaneously hideous and adorable. As in “Okja,” this animal element is not the slightest bit subtle, as it bludgeons us with ideas about immigration and colonization.
What’s frustrating is that I totally agree with everything Bong is saying, I just wish he were saying it with a touch more finesse. Maybe they can do some fine-tuning in the lab for next time.
