Bong is back! And it feels so…meh?  It’s been five years since Bong Joon-Ho rocked the movie world with his Oscar winning horror/dark-comedy/family-drama/thriller, “Parasite.” His follow-up comes in the shape of the Mickey 17, a Robert Pattinson starring adaptation of the sci-fi novel, “Mickey7” by Edward Ashton.  

Mickey 17 benefits from a strong and unique setup. It’s the year 2054, and Earth’s living conditions are deteriorating. A cult led by a wealthy power-couple (Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette) embarks on a mission to colonize Niflheim, a seemingly inhospitable planet covered with ice. As a way to leave Earth and avoid a debt collector, Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) signs up to be an “expendable” (a disposable worker ordered to complete dangerous tasks). He is a guinea pig for a team of scientists researching Niflheim. He is exposed to viruses, radiation, and alien creatures. His job is to die over and over again, and after every death, he is “reprinted” as a slightly different version of himself. The premise was pretty damn cool, but it was where the movie went from there that left me confused, disappointed, and eagerly anticipating the closing credits. 

Mickey 17 is a mess. The film has unnecessary subplots, underdeveloped characters, and generally lacks focus and flow. What begins as a fascinating character study of Mickey Barnes devolves into a cheesy alien story. The shift in subject causes the story of Mickey’s identity to feel unfinished, and the alien storyline to feel rushed. Those familiar with Joon-Ho’s work know that dramatic shifts in tone and narrative are part of the experience. “Parasite” went in as a comedy and came out as a thriller. His 2009 thriller, “Mother” starts out light hearted, and gradually descends into utter darkness. Mickey 17 tries to be a political satire and a dark comedy on top of being a Sci Fi film. The problem with this is that the comedy is rarely funny, and the political commentary is too cliched and on the nose to be truly thought provoking. Kenneth and Ylfa Marshall, the cult-leaders who want to take over Niflheim and wipe out the aliens, are the clearest tools through which real-world social commentary is told. They are portrayed with an explicit goofiness that highlights the stupidity of imperialism and some might say, the stupidity of America. A welcome political point told with a lack of creativity is something that happens quite a lot in Mickey 17. When the cult first runs into the aliens on Niflheim, they are dubbed “creepers” by the Donald Trump-esque Kenneth Marshall. They are different so of course they are villainized, but then of course they turn out to be kind creatures. This whole development is extremely predictable, and while the message of “different doesn’t mean bad” cannot be repeated enough during these times, it did not make for exciting cinema.

Robert Pattinson’s performance as Micky Barnes, is one of the film’s redeeming qualities. He is tasked with playing clones with different personality quirks. Clones are not supposed to be alive at the same time, but due to a slip-up, Mickey 17 and Mickey 18 both exist. The comedic dynamic between the cautious Mickey 17 and the aggressive Mickey 18 is the highlight of the movie. Pattinson is supported by a strong acting performance from Naomie Ackie, who plays Nasha, a soldier and Mickey’s girlfriend. Her elated reaction to having two boyfriends is one of the most memorable moments of Mickey 17.

It may have been unfair to start off a Mickey 17 review by referencing “Parasite.”  But there is no getting around the fact that the high standards of Bong Joon-Ho’s previous work contributes to the disappointment of Mickey 17. In a vacuum, it isn’t a terrible movie, and its existence is a good thing for the current state of movies. The film’s budget was 118 million dollars, an amount usually reserved for your Jurassic Parks or your Avengers. Movie franchises that spit out formulaic sequel after formulaic sequel. Mickey 17 did not hit all the marks, but It was encouraging to see a film of that scale made by a director willing to be creatively daring. 

Rating: 5/10