Film Review: MICKEY 17 (2025): Bong Joon Ho’s Big Science Fiction Film is an Intriguing Mess with Some Solid Acting

Mickey 17 Review

Mickey 17 (2025) Film Review, a movie written and directed by Bong Joon Ho and starring Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette, Naomie Ackie, Michael Monroe, Patsy Ferran, Cameron Britton, Lloyd Hutchinson, Samuel Blenkin, Ian Hanmore, Tim Key, Rose Shalloo, Bronwyn James, Daniel Henshall and Anamaria Vartolomei.

Filmmaker Bong Joon Ho follows up the Oscar-winning gem, Parasite, with an entertaining middle-of-the-road science fiction film, Mickey 17. Set in the not-too-distant future, the story revolves around Mickey 17 (Robert Pattinson), the 17th version of himself. He’s number 17 because he decided to become an expendable when he ran afoul of a mobster after opening a failed restaurant. What does that mean? Well, expendables die limitless times and are brought back to life through inventive technology that reissues him after he is killed to live again. It’s an absurd premise but in the hands of its gifted director, it’s highly watchable at times.

For me, the most creative part of Mickey 17 is when both Mickey 17 and Mickey 18 are alive at the same time. 17’s sex partner, Nasha (the super Naomi Ackie), seems ready to have sex with both of them at the same time and labels them accordingly until another beautiful woman in the movie named Kai (Ana Maria Vartolomei) calls Nasha out that it isn’t fair that she has both 17 and 18 to herself. Can’t she give up the one that Kai wants so Kai can have a piece of the action? This is humorous stuff and plays well.

What doesn’t play so well is the scenes of Mickey vomiting and spitting up blood that happen throughout the opening stages of the film. It isn’t easy to eat popcorn watching these scenes but even if you don’t plan to eat while watching the movie, it’s too graphically detailed in its execution of these needless scenes.

On the other hand, the casting is nothing short of inspired. Mark Ruffalo chews into his part as Kenneth Marshall who is something of a politician looking to rule with his significant other, Ylfa (Toni Collette).  You can, for all intents and purposes, call Kenneth the villain of the movie. Ruffalo and Collette camp it up here with some fascinating work that isn’t always on the mark in Ruffalo’s case. Ruffalo’s characterization is spotty and annoying with the actor’s frustrating way of delivering his lines, but Ruffalo nails the movements and mannerisms of his character which almost completely salvages his performance. Collette tries to steal every scene she’s in and, to her credit, she pretty much succeeds each and every time.

What would a science fiction movie be without some kind of creatures? These monsters the movie employs seem to be dire at first because the movie opens with one of the big creatures going after Mickey who is stuck in the bottom of a cave, snowed in. Later on, a monster slimes Kenneth and that makes for some humorous action as well within the movie. I won’t spoil the fun of what these creatures are all about.

Pattinson has a very distinct personality in this film but it’s hard to understand why Mickeys 17 and 18 are sought after by the respective female characters in the picture. True, 17 is the only one present who knows what happens to die more than a few times, but Pattinson’s voice and mannerisms are more frustrating than even Ruffalo’s at times. Pattinson’s role here is the director’s unique way of telling the story but Pattinson could have used more charm. While his ladies are undeniably charismatic, the Mickeys come across as rather blander than expected.

Naomi Ackie and Anamaria Vartolomei’s interaction with the Mickeys make it worthwhile because both actresses genuinely shine in their respective roles. Ackie has the juicier role, for sure, but Vartolomei still gives her co-stars a run for their money. Watching scenes in the picture are easier (especially the gruesome ones) because of Ackie’s and Vartolomei’s glamorous looks and talents. Their personalities outshine Mickey’s by far.

Steven Yeun is less than stellar, however, in his particular role as Timo who isn’t much of an ally to Mickey, to say the least. Timo is too flatly written, and Yeun struggles to keep the character he plays feeling fresh. Instead, because of the writing, the scenes with Timo can feel repetitive and boring at times. They’re almost like time-filler. Ruffalo does more of the heavy lifting than Yeun here.

Mickey 17 is still a true original. Bong Joon Ho has a lot of talent, but he is probably the only one who will truly love this new picture. General audiences may struggle with the way the movie’s story line plays out at times. It’s quirky and offbeat in a way in which some of the characters are kept at a distance from the audience. While Ackie’s vulnerability on-screen is a major asset, other characters are rather thinly veiled. There are also too many characters here. A lot of the secondary characters feel like they’re taking up space in a film where the leads should be developed a bit more. This includes the doctors/scientists who bring Mickey back to life every time and time again.

Having said that, the movie has a few twisty plot developments that could please fans of science fiction, Pattinson or the acclaimed director behind this bloated but ambitious film that is Mickey 17. Without getting too much into cinematic construction, the structure of the movie could have been a little more straightforward but, you know what, Pattinson pulls off the character to the best of his ability and the females keep the movie moving at a fast clip. That may well be enough for audiences to enjoy this one even though it’s a long way down from Parasite.

Rating: 7/10

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