Film opinion: Mickey 17 adds another string to Bong Joon Ho’s bow
Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite was one of the films of the decade when it was released in 2019, and since then, film fans around the world have awaited his next project, and finally, Mickey 17 has landed.
The space opera has an all-star cast and out-of-this-world premise.
Lucky for all of you at home, Film News Blitz’s Joe Matthews is here to talk you through it.
What is up with Mickey?
So, Mickey 17 has finally transitioned from being an unknown quantity, to being on our IMAX cinema screens, and I have to say, it is quite the pleasant surprise.
The story follows Robert Pattinson’s Mickey Barnes, who signs up to become an ‘expendable’ on a mission to help colonize a new ice planet, called Niflheim.
His role is to be as his name suggests, expendable, and take on all the most dangerous missions, with his death marking the start of his re-printing process.
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But, what would happen if there were two Mickeys at the same time by mistake?
The film also sees Mark Rufallo and Toni Collette add to their filmographies, with the former emulating an eerily recognisable political figure- although Joon Ho did clarify that this was certainly not deliberate, and that people tend to project their own historical experiences onto the characters of his films, as said at a press conference in Seoul, in February.
I will let you guys be the judge of that one.
An early Oscar shout?
Pattinson has seen a real upturn in form of late, with his initial notoriety in Twilight somewhat damaging his dramatic credentials after hitting it big as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter: Goblet of Fire.
Nevertheless, he fought back, taking on big roles in The King, where he put on an interesting French accent, Tenet, and in Matt Reeves’ The Batman as Bruce Wayne.
Pattinson also boasts a series of impressive indie performances in the likes of Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse and the Safdie Brothers’ Good Time.
On a serious note though, Pattinson has battled to establish his name as a serious actor, and Mickey 17 may be the pinnacle of his career.
I can only imagine how difficult it is playing just one character, but playing two versions of one character blows my mind, and he really did a fantastic job.
Whether the Academy views it as worthy of an Oscar nomination we will have to wait and see, but if you were to tell me that I would see Pattinson’s name on the nominations list come January ‘26, I would certainly not complain.
Facts for the road
I am an absolute stickler for a fun film fact, and Mickey 17, with its ethical dilemmas and cloning questions, presents many opportunities for creative license in the film-making process.
That said, here are three things you may not have known about the film, that are sure to spike your interest…
Subtle cloning differences: With Pattinson playing a character that has been almost identically cloned, it was important to establish a base of difference between Mickey 17 and Mickey 18. One way he did this during the initial script reading, was by imitating the accents of Jackass’ Johnny Knoxville and Steve-O to give the characters a different voice. Bong was not a fan.
Keeping Pattinson on his toes: One way Joon Ho tried to demonstrate Mickey’s personality crisis was by only telling Pattinson which Mickey he was playing in that scene mere moments before the camera was rolling. The aim was to capture the existential dread of a clone coming to terms with his personality.
Norse mythology references: Niflheim may sound familiar to those of you interested in Norse mythology. For those who are not, in Norse mythology, Niflheim is a realm that exists in a permanent state of winter, and is an afterlife for those who do not die a heroic death. A fantastic detail that could be easy to overlook.
Ultimately Mickey 17 is a chance to go to the cinema and thoroughly enjoy yourself.
Its playful and exciting mood, coupled with a much deeper meaning, makes for an enticing watch.
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