By Thomas Mangieri
Bong Joon Ho’s new movie, Mickey 17, was released on March 7, and the reviews across the board have been incredibly mild, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a 78%, IMDb a 7/10, and Letterboxd a 3.7/5. This film does not have the critical acclaim of Bong’s signature film Parasite, but it’s not a terrible movie.
The Bad
The real issue within Mickey 17 is its story, plot, and how it handles its characters. Some Rotten Tomatoes critics describe the plot as convoluted and confusing. The film tries to do too much and has too much going on. Madeline Leslie, a freshman biology major at The University of Tampa, agrees.
“I thought they added extra things that didn’t really mean much, just like there are a lot of side plots that did not result to much,” Leslie said. “I think that made it a bit confusing and took away from some of the main points.”
The film centers around Mickey (Robert Pattinson), who’s on a ship headed to colonize a planet. Mickey’s job is to be expendable; he’s sent out on dangerous missions to do things he most likely can die from but is reprinted after death. The president-type on the ship is played by Mark Ruffalo, and his wife, played by Toni Collette, who are highly narcissistic. The native animals of the planet the characters traveled to are seen as hostile even though they are not, and Mark Ruffalo’s character wants to kill them all to be seen as a hero, but he underestimates the aliens. If the plot sounds confusing, that’s because it is.
The characters in the movie are written oddly. The film throws exposition at you and hopes you remember it. Some characters are forgotten within the story, only to be revisited in the final scene. These seemingly essential characters are introduced in a way that suggests they will have more screen time, but it seems like Bong just forgot about them until the final act, where we get a brief glimpse of what they ended up doing.
The best example of this would be the character Gemma. In the film’s first act, she plays a minor yet significant role until the rising action of the film, where she doesn’t have any lines; she becomes a background character, and she isn’t the only one.
The Good
While there are several drawbacks to this film, it certainly deserves recognition for a few key aspects. The cinematography is impressive, with stunning visuals that captivate throughout. Both the CGI and practical effects are expertly executed, creating a fully immersive world that draws you into the universe of Mickey 17.
Another aspect of the film’s cinematography is how it distinguishes between the interior and exterior of the ship. The characters often express their desire to leave the confines of the ship, and this is reflected in the way the shots are framed. Inside the ship, everything feels cramped and claustrophobic; Mickey’s room is small and confined, the lunchroom is overcrowded, and the color palette is muted, dominated by greys with occasional hints of red (except for the scene in the president’s room). In stark contrast, the exterior scenes, though brief, are vibrant, colorful, and expansive, offering a sense of freedom and space. This stark visual contrast effectively enhances the film’s immersive experience, drawing the audience into the emotional and physical tension felt by the characters.
This movie is a social commentary, though its message remains somewhat ambiguous. Viewers have offered a wide range of interpretations, each with their perspective on what the commentary is addressing. Some believe it critiques the current president, with Ruffalo’s character portraying a narcissistic leader who refuses to admit fault, giving off a cult-like vibe. Others interpret the film as a commentary on the rise of fascism, pointing to the sharp-edged black lines over a red backdrop on the political figures’ badges, which resemble Nazi imagery. Additionally, some see it as a commentary on class structures, highlighting the divisions and inequalities present within the ship’s society.
The ambiguity surrounding the target of this social commentary is one of the movie’s greatest strengths. The debate over what Mickey 17 is truly about is essential, as the film covers a lot of ground and invites personal interpretation. This openness is what makes the film a remarkable work of art.
Lauren Peace, a journalism professor at The University of Tampa, believes that the deeper social message of the film is about AI.
“We sort of live in a world where AI is really present and continuing to grow, and improve, and expand,” said Peace. “A lot of the questions about what constitutes life and what rights exist within a form of artificial intelligence.”
Mickey 17 isn’t a film you need to see in theatres. It throws too much at you, and it’s easy to miss the film’s point. Once the film comes to streaming, it has the potential to gain a cult following.
It’s a film where you’ll catch new details on the second, third, and fourth watch that you may have previously missed. However, the fact that the commentary is somewhat difficult to pinpoint holds this film back from being successful in theaters.
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Photo courtesy of Collider.