4 out of 5
That’s pretty much his entire job: dying. As part of an intrepid expedition to colonize the icy planet Niflheim, Mickey (Robert Pattinson) is the colony’s sole expendable. His mind has been downloaded into a hefty techno-brick. And once his current body expires, the scientific team on Niflheim will just chug out a new one, using its handy-dandy organic 3D printer.
Mickey dies so that others might live. Or, occasionally, just for kicks.
Is this ethical? Heavens, no. Everyone admits that much. But Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo), a two-time failed senator on Earth and the colony leader on Niflheim, figures they might as well use the technology anyway. I mean, just the trip out to Niflheim was pretty dangerous, and who knows what terrors the planet itself might hold. A good, solid expendable will keep the rest of the colonists intact. As for Mickey, well, it’s just like the job title says: He’s expendable.
And so Mickey dies. Again and again and again. He’s died by radiation poisoning. by mysterious planetary disease. One time, he was shoved into the ship’s molten incinerator while he was still alive. Even if he survived the pathogen floating around in his bod, it was just easier for everyone involved—well, everyone but Mickey, I guess—to print out another one.
And honestly, the 17th iteration was pretty much guaranteed to expire just like all the rest. He’d taken a tumble down a huge ice hole and found himself in the presence of Niflheim’s native residents: something that looks like a tardigrade with tentacles, and stands slightly bigger than a Range Rover) and all her many, many, many children. Mickey assumes he’s a dead man—again. He’ll be quickly devoured by the mamma creeper (as they come to be known as) or slowly consumed by her offspring. But instead, the creature drags Mickey out of the burrow and sends him on his way. And Mickey is a little offended.
“I’m perfectly good meat!” He shouts after the mamma creeper. “I taste fine!”
Meanwhile, back aboard the ship, Mickey 17 is presumed to be dead and eaten. And so they welcome Mickey 18 to the ship. Won’t Mickey 17 be surprised when he gets back!
Mickey 17 knows what it’s like to die, and he takes pains to keep most everyone and everything else alive—human and creeper alike. Mickey 18 isn’t nearly as sweet. Indeed, he comes out of the printer acting a bit pathological. But he eventually takes a shine to his older, um, sibling, and 18 does what he can to protect 17, even at great and eternal risk to himself.
And then there’s Nasha, (Naoimi Ackie) who loves and cares for all the Mickeys she’s had the pleasure of knowing—and of sleeping with. She stays with Mickey during some of his lingering deaths, apparently the only person who cares about easing his suffering. She also risks plenty to save both Mickeys and creepers.
Director Bong Joon Ho has never been one to shy away from the weird, and Mickey 17 proves it yet again. Based on Edward Ashton’s novel, this sci-fi flick takes the X-Men’s Krakoan resurrection concept and runs with it—hard.
From the jump, the humor is fast and quirky. Steven Yeun, playing Mickey’s buddy Berto, makes a strong first impression with his deadpan delivery. The laughs keep coming, but not always at full force. You can tell the writers went for a high joke-per-minute ratio, but not every punchline lands. That said, the satire is razor-sharp. MAGA jokes? Elon jokes? The film is practically begging for a Fox News segment dedicated to hating it. And Mark Ruffalo, playing Senator Kenneth Marshall, embodies a certain U.S. president so well, you almost expect a Twitter rant about it. Toni Collette, as his wife seems content to ham-up every scene.
Bong Joon Ho doesn’t just tell a sci-fi story—he makes a statement. The film touches on classism, exploitation, and the dangers of unchecked power. There’s even an assassination attempt on the senator that feels eerily ripped from current events. One of his most chilling lines? “One false move and your manburger.” Dark, twisted, and somehow… kind of funny.
By the end, Mickey 17 leaves you with a lot to think about. It’s not Bong Joon Ho’s best work, but it’s a solid, entertaining entry in his filmography. If you’re into satirical sci-fi with a bite, this one’s worth watching—just don’t be surprised if it sparks a few heated debates along the way.
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