Bong Joon-ho is back, and this time he’s bringing high-concept sci-fi with a side of identity crisis. “Mickey 17” throws Robert Pattinson into a role that requires him to die – a lot – and somehow, he makes it look effortless. His portrayal of the different iterations of Mickey is subtle but effective. Mickey 17 is world-weary, sarcastic, and oddly accepting of his fate, while Mickey 18 is… well, less thrilled about the whole “expendable human clone” thing.

Clone Wars, but Make It Existential

Visually, this movie delivers. The icy wasteland of Niflheim isn’t just some generic frozen hellscape – it feels like a real, lived-in nightmare. The cinematography makes great use of cold blues and stark whites, reinforcing the movie’s themes of isolation and identity. And the effects? Seamless. The interactions between Mickey 17 and Mickey 18 never break the immersion, which is crucial when your story revolves around clones sharing screen time.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Bong Joon-ho film without some biting social commentary. The movie isn’t just about clones – it’s about exploitation, corporations treating people as disposable assets, and the existential dread that comes with being a cog in the machine. Yet, in true Bong fashion, there’s humor sprinkled throughout to keep it from getting too heavy-handed.

A Little Bloated, A Little Lost

For all its strengths, “Mickey 17” does struggle with pacing. The first half is gripping, setting up the world, the characters, and the clone-versus-clone dilemma, but the second half starts to drag. There are moments where the movie feels like it’s spinning its wheels, throwing in ideas that don’t fully get explored.

While Pattinson is undeniably the star, the supporting cast – which includes Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo – feels underutilized. They all do solid work, but their characters don’t leave as much of an impact as they probably should. It’s as if the movie is so focused on Mickey’s existential crisis that it forgets to flesh out the world around him.

And while the ending lands well enough, it doesn’t quite hit that satisfying gut punch Bong Joon-ho is known for. It’s good, just not great.

A Sci-Fi Trip Worth Taking

Even with its flaws, “Mickey 17” is an engrossing, visually stunning sci-fi ride that asks big questions and has fun doing it. It’s weird, it’s thought-provoking, and it features Robert Pattinson arguing with himself – what more do you need? While it might not be Bong Joon-ho’s best, it’s still absolutely worth watching, especially for fans of high-concept sci-fi with a dash of dark humor.

Final verdict? If you’re into cerebral sci-fi that doesn’t take itself too seriously, go for it. It’s a fun ride.

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