# Mickey 17 Review: Crazy as Ever, But Is It Worth Your Time?
## At a Glance
### Expert’s Rating
### Our Verdict
Bong Joon-ho’s sci-fi adventure is laden with sharp wit and breathtaking visuals, with Robert Pattinson fully immersing himself in the role of a tragic, disposable character. However, Mickey 17 attempts to juggle two enormous concepts simultaneously, ultimately causing both to lack the focus they deserve.
## Enter the Realm of Pure Sci-Fi Insanity
If you’re gearing up to watch *Mickey 17* expecting yet another *Parasite*, I have some disappointing news for you—this film is something entirely different.
Bong Joon-ho makes a return to his sci-fi roots with a film that’s so bizarre it might as well be screaming at birds while wearing a tin foil hat. Set in the far reaches of space, humanity is fleeing from Earth, while some unfortunate souls are endeavoring to colonize an icy planet known as *Niflheim*. To ensure that this chilly world doesn’t instantly eliminate everyone, they dispatch a test subject—meet Mickey, the quintessential corporate sacrificial lamb.
Mickey’s *expendable*, meaning he meets gruesome ends in various horrific manners, only to be ‘reprinted’ with all his memories intact. Sounds like a blast, right? Well, not for Mickey.
While some critics hail this as a masterpiece, I left the theater feeling as though I’d been immersed in a sci-fi fever dream.
## The Bright Side: Gorgeous Visuals & Really Crazy Humor
First and foremost: the visuals are absolutely first-rate. Never did I sit there thinking, “That spaceship appears to be designed by a toddler with a 2005 laptop.” Every alien scene, every desolate corridor—true artistry.
Bong Joon-ho isn’t hesitant to innovate, incorporating peculiar musical elements and surprising narrative twists that hit you unexpectedly. Given that the film revolves around a character being brutally murdered and resurrected repeatedly, it manages to be surprisingly comedic in certain moments. After all, when you find yourself in a dystopia, you might as well have some laughs, right?
## Robert Pattinson: Eccentric Yet Exceptional
Pattinson throws himself into the role of Mickey, adopting a peculiar, nasally voice that makes you forget you’re looking at the same guy who starred in *The Batman*.
Pattinson effectively embodies Mickey’s pathetic, sycophantic disposition… adding just the right touch of insanity to remind you that *yeah*, this guy’s met his demise far too many times.
Mickey is a complete pushover—imagine if a human shrug took on a physical form. He participates in grotesque experiments as casually as if he were agreeing to make tea. Opposite him is Naomi Ackie as Nasha, a vortex of charm and subtle intensity. She’s fantastic, but sadly, the movie doesn’t offer her enough screen time. More on that later…
## Mark Ruffalo: Erratic Vibes & Dazzling Grin
Mark Ruffalo portrays Kenneth Marshall, a self-absorbed politician with dreadful teeth and a voice that could break glass. He brings as much subtlety as a bull in a china shop, clearly embodying *a certain real-world figure* (even Ruffalo himself acknowledged it).
Alongside him, Toni Collette plays his astute wife, Gwen Marshall, the mastermind behind the operation who practically scripts everything Kenneth utters. They make an insufferable power duo, and honestly, they steal the spotlight.
## The Main Issue: A Sci-Fi Identity Crisis
Here lies where the film lost my interest—it isn’t quite clear what story it seeks to share.
The most intriguing aspect? The ‘multiples’—the concept that two iterations of Mickey exist simultaneously. Cue existential dilemmas, questionable morals, and Mickey debating with, well… himself. Do they both possess souls? Who’s the more ‘genuine’ one? If one falters, should the other face consequences?
So much thought-provoking sci-fi intrigue to explore! And then… the film simply *doesn’t*.
Instead, it veers into political commentary and an alien invasion subplot, leaving those captivating ethical questions to languish in the background. You find yourself waiting for the film to fully engage with a single concept, but it continues shifting gears like a learner driver on the freeway. Disjointed doesn’t even begin to cover it.
It’s as if they squeezed two distinct films into one, leaving neither with enough space to fully develop.
## Should You Experience *Mickey 17*?
Without a doubt, *Mickey 17* is one wild experience—completely absurd, bleak beyond measure, and unexpectedly humorous. Pattinson truly excels, and that’s more than enough to make it worth a watch.
However, if you’re in search of an intellectually stimulating sci-fi thriller, you might leave feeling somewhat shortchanged. This film had all the elements of a masterpiece but ultimately transformed into a chaotic mishmash of ideas that required more… coherence.
Would it have been more successful as a television series? Perhaps. Could it have better utilized its strongest concepts? Definitely. But would I watch it again? Sure. If only to witness Ruffalo’s ridiculously bright smile one more time.
*Mickey 17 hits theaters on Friday, 7 March 2025. UK audiences can purchase tickets from [Cineworld](https://www.cineworld.co.uk/films/mickey-17/ho00012577#/buy-tickets-by-film?for-movie=ho00012577&view-mode=list), [Vue](https://www.myvue.com/cinema/piccadilly/film/mickey-17), and [Odeon](https://www.odeon.co.uk/films/mickey-17/HO00006830/). US audiences can get them from [AMC Theatres](https://www.amctheatres.com/movies/mickey-17-72112), [Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/mickey-17-2025-238218/movie-overview), and [Atom Tickets](https://www.atomtickets.com/movies/mickey-17/341442).*
## Summary: “Sci-Fi Whiplash with a Hint of Existential Anxiety”
Mickey 17 is a peculiar, frenzied spectacle. It holds the potential to be a standout sci-fi film but falters under the burden of its own high aspirations. Nevertheless, the concept of Robert Pattinson being repeatedly killed for corporate gain? That alone is enough to entertain.
