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What does it feel like to die? In Bong Joon-Ho’s newest trippy sci-fi film, Robert Pattinson dies again… and again… and again, until one day he doesn’t.
In the far future where humanity explores the far reaches of space, directionless Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) works as an “Expendable”, a grunt who goes on dangerous missions in the name of research. If he dies, his employers print a new copy of his body and he starts over again. Mickey embarks on many dangerous missions, violently dying each time.
Mickey 17 (2025) – source: Warner Bros. Pictures
But one night, something goes wrong and multiple Mickeys wind up alive concurrently. Per company protocol, all Mickeys are targeted for extermination. Now, after growing safe in the cycle of death, it’s time for the Mickeys to fight for their right to live once more finally.
Bong Joon-Ho has cemented himself as one of the great auteurs of our time, being able to mix heady existentialism with crowd-pleasing spectacle. And the 1st trailer for Mickey 17 is no exception. Many films blending sci-fi and philosophy often fall too far down their own thematic rabbit holes to appeal to a wide audience (Ad Astra, Tenet, etc.).
Joon-Ho, however, subtly implants these ideas inside a romp that seems… just fun. The cartoonishness of two Mickeys bickering, the bureaucracy of space, and the old-school adventure elements of Mickey’s various off-world missions lend the film an old-fashioned pulpy sheen that makes it stand apart from the more obvious Oscar hopefuls this year.
And the visuals are only as impressive as the cast. While the supporting players have a ball, this is the Robert Pattinson show-through and through. No stranger to strong choices, Pattinson’s Mickey is a raspy-voiced dweeb forced into a hero’s journey, but commands the audience’s attention with the presence of a true superstar. If the general public is like me, Pattinson’s performance should ensure Mickey 17 as a must-see film in every sense of the word.
Directed by Bong Joon-Ho, Mickey 17 will be released theatrically in the US on January 31, 2025. The movie stars an ensemble cast led by Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, and Mark Ruffalo.
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