, directed by Bong Joon-ho and
starring Robert Pattinson, is a film that
feels like it’s almost
brilliant—but doesn’t quite stick the
landing. Based on Edward Ashton's novel
Mickey7, the movie serves up a
bizarre sci-fi cocktail of existential
dread, dark humor, and quirky
world-building. It’s visually striking and
undeniably unique, but ultimately, the
story just doesn’t deliver the emotional
punch or narrative cohesion it promises
early on.
Robert
Pattinson is the standout here. His
portrayal of the titular Mickey—an
"expendable" human clone used for
dangerous missions and then regenerated
upon death—is nuanced, vulnerable, and
dryly funny. Pattinson juggles the film’s
darker themes and oddball humor with ease,
making his character relatable even in the
most absurd situations. He continues to
prove he's one of the most versatile
actors working today.
However,
Pattinson's performance can only carry the
film so far. The story, while filled with
intriguing ideas and moments of sharp
satire, often feels scattered. It teases
some deep philosophical concepts—identity,
mortality, the ethics of cloning—but
rarely follows through in a satisfying
way. Just when you think it's about to
make a profound statement or take a bold
turn, it veers off into something that
feels less intentional and more muddled.
The tone is
another curious element. Mickey 17
leans heavily into dark humor, with a
surreal and often absurdist style that can
be both charming and jarring. It's
quirky—sometimes delightfully so, other
times to its own detriment. There’s a
sense of creative ambition throughout, but
the film never quite finds the balance
between its comedy, sci-fi elements, and
emotional core.
In the end,
Mickey 17 is an odd, darkly funny
ride that’s close to being something
special. With a tighter script and more
focused storytelling, it could’ve been a
standout in the sci-fi genre. As it
stands, it’s an enjoyable but flawed
film—worth watching for Pattinson’s
performance and its weird, ambitious
spirit, but not quite the sci-fi
masterpiece it aims to be.