My dad took me to see the movie Mickey 17 in theaters about a month ago, and it was one of the most interesting theater experiences of my life. Directed by Bong Joon Ho, who directed the Oscar Award-winning Parasite, this movie delves into the weird side of science fiction in the best ways. From aliens to cloning, he takes it in a very fun direction. This movie was based on the book Mickey7.
The movie is about a guy who is labeled “expendable”, so he is used as a guinea pig in order to colonize and populate a new planet. After a near-death experience, he returns to the base only to find that he has already been cloned again. Since having multiple versions of one person (referred to as “multiples”) is against the rules, he has to find a way to hide it from the people in charge. Along the way, he finds himself protecting the native species of the planet.
The performances in this movie are off the charts. Robert Pattinson sells playing two versions of one character flawlessly. They are so distinct that they don’t even feel like the same actor plays them. I could write a whole review of Robert Pattinson’s acting in this movie. From the weird way he pitches up his voice in this movie to the stark contrast between Mickey’s 17 and 18, every mannerism is perfect. He manages to play every version of Mickey subtly different.
Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette perfectly play the disgustingly evil dictator-politician duo. And Steven Yeun nails the fake best friend and slimy smooth smooth-talking character.
This movie also has great emotion. I really felt for the characters, and a funny moment between two of the main characters becomes the key to resolving the conflict.
The editing in this movie lends to some very comedic moments, and it’s worth pointing out that this movie is very funny. The dry humor mixed with creative scene compositions leads to more than a few laughs. This movie knows exactly what it is doing and plays out so unseriously. Every awkward moment is played up in the best ways possible.
With a terrible opening weekend, making only about $9 million, this movie was not initially popular. With a budget of $118 million, this movie was looking to be an abysmal flop. However, 20 days after its release, it has passed 110 million dollars worldwide, which still isn’t breaking even, but is very impressive given the initial box office opening.
This movie deserves all the love that it is getting and even more. It’s funny, weird, awkward, silly, and heartfelt all at the same time. And since I saw it in IMAX, the experience was even better. It may be strange, but it is definitely worth the watch.