With Mickey 17, Bong Joon-ho Offers a Bitterly Funny Take on America

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The best part of the movie “Mickey 17,” directed by Bong Joon-ho after his Oscar-winning film “Parasite,” is a lengthy scene where the main character, Mickey, explains how his life turned into an endless cycle of technologically induced immortality, which is not so great. Mickey works on a spaceship traveling for over four years to colonize a planet named Niflheim, and his role is to die repeatedly, either by design or due to the dangerous nature of his missions. He took this job to avoid debt collector Darius Blank’s (Ian Hanmore) threats with a chainsaw. However, he finds another potentially worse form of escape. When he dies, or even when he’s not completely dead yet, he gets thrown into a waste disposal system alongside other organic waste, and a new body is then produced from what looks like an MRI machine. His consciousness is then transferred back into this new brain. This detailed explanation, presented in a grim, almost comical way, is interspersed with violent montages that show how everyone becomes accustomed to this cycle.

In this scenario, scientists are preoccupied and fail to secure a stretcher to catch Mickey’s latest body before it hits the floor, passengers talk idly while Mickey’s lost hand from an asteroid encounter passes by the window, and Timo (Steven Yeun), who is said to be Mickey’s closest companion, takes valuable equipment back to the base, abandoning Mickey to perish after he falls into the snow. If this colony resembles Ursula K. Le Guin’s Omelas, Mickey serves as the sacrificial child, living among the community despite enduring persistent suffering that has become so routine it no longer seems extraordinary.

Mickey is a kind-hearted but not particularly intelligent individual who believes he deserves the mistreatment he receives, which makes his situation bearable rather than simply tragic. Robert Pattinson, now in his post-Teen Beat phase of portraying peculiar characters, lends Mickey a gravelly voice and melancholic expression fitting for the character who meets an untimely end in a heist movie.

Mickey is the embodiment of being trodden upon, until a mix-up involving his presumed death beneath Niflheim’s ice layer and the patterns of the printing cycle results in two Mickys. The newest version — iteration 18 — is more volatile and prone to aggression, suggesting that each incarnation of Mickey isn’t an exact replica (Pattinson skillfully distinguishes between them). All these iterations are remnants of the original, and their existence signifies they are marked for permanent elimination.

In the upcoming movie titled “Mickey 17,” premiering at the Berlin Film Festival on Saturday and hitting theaters on March 7th, director Bong Joon-ho is not making his first English language film. Prior works include “Snowpiercer” in 2013 and “Okja” in 2017. The latter was a satirical adventure that seamlessly traversed languages and continents, mirroring the ruthless corporation its young protagonist confronted. Unlike his previous films, “Mickey 17” is set in America, even though it takes place in space. Bong’s signature style of portraying capitalist dystopias extends to this film, where a near-future setting provides ample opportunity for dark humor through its twisted details.

What sets “Mickey 17” apart is that the characters who aren’t driven by desperation are genuine believers. Characters like Mickey’s dedicated girlfriend Nasha (played by Naomi Ackie), who embodies roles as a police officer, firefighter, and soldier, still have faith in meritocracy. Other characters, such as Kenneth Marshall (portrayed by Mark Ruffalo), the leader of their mission, receive unwavering devotion from followers – although Marshall’s characteristics seem reminiscent of a certain U.S. President. If you didn’t catch the reference, his supporters don red shirts and hats for added clarity.

Brave New World,” which seems like a distorted message from an alternate election scenario. However, “Mickey 17” doesn’t appear to be a misguided attempt at relevance. The story of Marshall, a former congressman in this fictional universe who is launched into space after losing a second election along with his wife and followers, might seem like a fantasy wish fulfillment. Yet, similar to our real world, we are still following the journey of these characters throughout “Mickey 17.” Despite Mark Ruffalo’s exaggerated portrayal of Marshall as an egotistical figure, the film is not solely focused on him. Instead, it explores why some people are drawn to authoritarian figures and why others tolerate such rule just to survive.

However, “Mickey 17” sometimes feels like it’s repeating elements from Bong’s previous films rather than expanding on his favorite themes. For instance, the inhabitants of Niflheim, who resemble a mix between giant woodlice and star-nosed moles but can be endearing, are reminiscent of the super pigs from “Okja.” This is particularly true when one of the babies is in danger.

The film delves into the question of why some people accept mistreatment as their fate – internalizing the notion that certain individuals are destined for lives devoid of dignity and brimming with hardship. Remarkably, even the most submissive characters in a sci-fi setting can choose to assert themselves, as seen in Mickey 17. Unlike other works by Bong, this film concludes on a note that hints at optimism, offering a glimmer of hope that is more than what we as an audience might realistically expect.

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2025-02-15 21:54