Critic & Chill

Okay. So imagine dying. Over and over again. On purpose. And volunteering for it.

That’s the premise of Mickey 17, Bong Joon-ho’s wild, brilliant, and very Bong Joon-ho take on sci-fi, starring Robert Pattinson in what might be his strangest and most existential role yet (and yes, that includes the time he lived in a lighthouse with Willem Dafoe).

This film is weird. And sharp. And surprisingly emotional. And honestly? I kind of loved it.

So What Is Mickey 17?
Set in a bleak future where humans are colonizing distant planets because Earth, surprise surprise, is no longer habitable, the film follows Mickey, an “expendable.” That means his literal job is to die during dangerous missions and get regenerated afterward, memories intact, body brand new.

But things get complicated when Mickey 17 wakes up… and Mickey 18 is already alive. And suddenly, he’s not just dealing with death, but with something way weirder: being replaced while still existing.

It’s part sci-fi thriller, part black comedy, and part quiet identity crisis. And it’s got that signature Bong Joon-ho flavor, biting satire with moments of genuine beauty and soul.

Robert Pattinson, Please Keep Being Weird
Let’s take a moment to appreciate Robert Pattinson. He’s become the king of playing guys who are slightly unhinged, deeply introspective, and not okay, and he kills it here.

His performance is layered and vulnerable. One minute he’s sarcastic and deadpan, the next he’s quietly devastated. You feel the weight of being disposable. Of being cloned and rebooted and expected to carry on like none of it matters. It’s funny in that deeply sad, sci-fi way, like if Eternal Sunshine met The Martian, then invited Black Mirror over for drinks.

And yes, it’s weird. But it works. Especially when Mickey starts questioning what makes him him: memory? pain? the fear of death? It’s messy and introspective and very, very human.

Big Themes, Beautifully Told
Bong Joon-ho is a master at layering meaning into genre. Like in Parasite, where a story about class became a gut punch about inequality, here he uses science fiction to explore:

• What makes a person irreplaceable
• The illusion of control in systems that use people up
• The strange hope of finding identity in a world that treats you like a number

There’s also something eerily timely about a movie where the planet is dying, corporations are in charge of everything, and people are treated like disposable tools. Fun!

But despite the dystopia, the film doesn’t feel hopeless. It’s curious. Reflective. Sometimes even tender. The dynamic between the two Mickeys (yes, they interact) is bizarre and hilarious and kind of touching. Like watching someone argue with their past self and realizing both versions are just trying to survive.

Visually? Stunning.

As expected, the visuals are incredible. The cold, metallic environments contrast beautifully with quiet natural moments. The cinematography plays with repetition and symmetry in really smart ways, especially as the story doubles in on itself.

The score hums in the background like a pulse, building tension in all the right moments without ever taking over. It all feels clean, smart, and deeply cinematic.

Final Thoughts
Mickey 17 is a film about identity, memory, and meaning — all wrapped in sleek sci-fi weirdness. It’s not the kind of movie you just watch and forget. It lingers. It makes you think about who you are when everything around you treats you like you’re nothing. About what it means to be human when you’re reduced to a number. About how memory and pain might actually be the proof of a soul.

If you like your science fiction with depth, dark humor, and a little bit of heartbreak, this one’s for you.

And if you’ve ever felt like just another version of yourself, walking through the world on autopilot, Mickey 17 might hit closer than expected.