Mickey 17 REVIEW: Creative Sci-Fi Without Any Consistency

“Even on my seventeenth go-around, I really hate dying. Still. Always. Every time.” — Mickey Barnes

What makes a life valuable?

Is life a complex idea rooted in the experiences we face? Is life the priceless achievements one has accomplished? Is life filled with mere experiments and trials? Is life valued based on blood, race, or ethnicity? Is life simply a tool used for personal gain?

Mickey 17 is the latest blockbuster film from Oscar-winning director Boon Joong Ho. This marks his first return to movies since Parasite. Without a doubt, a flood of pressure will build up on whatever project he takes on next. This level of expectation is normal, especially for a director who has achieved monumental success with his previous film.

However, that doesn’t mean he can’t make another movie again. I appreciate that Boon Joong Ho chose to do a film like this, especially considering he could have picked any project he wanted. Mickey 17 just happens to be the one he selected.

A Life

In “Mickey 17,” the main theme revolves around Mickey, who repeatedly takes on the role of a human ragdoll, killed in the name of science. He essentially serves as a lab rat for the science team, testing new medicines or experiments. Each time he dies, a machine creates a carbon copy of him so he can keep living. This idea is fascinating as the film explores the value of life through each of these characters.

Mickey 17

Mickey 17 is an intriguing character. Unlike his previous versions, he genuinely cares about his life and fears death. This is surprising, considering Mickey’s continuous death seems like a normal event, yet he fears this very outcome. When he discovers that he was not truly dead and was accidentally duplicated, a sense of fear arises as the duplicate begins to wander around.

Mickey 17 thinks he could kill the duplicate, but this scenario helps us understand his character. He is a scaredy-cat who whines and is afraid of everything. He lacks the courage and initiative to fight for his own survival. Despite this, he has a pure heart and feels terrible when he knows he has done something wrong.

We saw Mickey 17 as if he were a real, genuine person, but you can see that the people around him never treated him that way. He was merely a tool for his friends, boss, girl, and scientist. Everyone around him wants him for a specific purpose.

His friend Timo used him as a scapegoat to solve his debt issues and ultimately used him to pay off his debt. The boss, Kenneth Marshal, threw obstacles at him as if he were a disposable robot and even blamed him for not dying while allowing a crew member to die. The scientist only sees him as a test subject they could kill without guilt. There is also Kai, a girl who, upon discovering the existence of two Mickeys, wanted Mickey 17 for herself, as if he were a sex doll.

All these people only saw Mickey as a convenient tool in their lives. They never considered what Mickey wanted or the life he dreamed of. They never saw him as a human. They pay no attention to his life or its value.

What makes this Mickey stand out is that he begins to value his life. He is afraid of death because he finally realizes it would truly be the end of him. The illusion of his revival is shattered when a duplicate escapes and steals his life and memories. He sees that life has meaning, and he wants to keep going. He knows that if he truly dies, it’s the end of the road.

One of the most touching moments of his discovery comes from Nasha. She is his lover, whom he would rush into a room to protect from Mickey 18. She is the one who gave him his purpose, meaning, and the will to live. She loves him just as he loves her. All his heart had ever longed for was her. With her by his side, he can truly value his life.

Mickey 18

Mickey 18 is the opposite of Mickey 17. He is a brute, brave, and reckless guy who does whatever he wants without fearing the consequences. He knows how to stand up for himself and fight for what he desires. He can voice his concerns and issues. He is active in making decisions and sticking to them. At the same time, he would never cross a moral boundary.

All these traits make Mickey 18 a unique individual. Despite being the same person, he feels different from his opposite. He still holds the morality and goals of Mickey 17, but his personality is different, which makes him unique. That also leads to some fun and heartfelt moments in the film.

A key moment is when Mickey 17 recalls the incident when Marshall offered him dinner in his room. During that dinner, Mickey was used as a test subject for a meat they were developing, and with his allergic reaction, he was nearly killed by Marshall.

Mickey 18 was furious hearing this because Mickey 17 was too weak and stupid to stand up for himself and forgive Marshall for such an immoral act. He could not tolerate him, even if he had almost been killed.

Mickey 18 values his own life above all. From his personality, he would never care about someone useless like Mickey 17. He wouldn’t even look at a person like that. But since Mickey 17 was a part of his own life, he had to. There was no other choice. Above anyone else, his own life mattered, even if it was just a fragment of himself.

Nasha

Nasha symbolizes pure kindness. She cares more for the person she loves most than anything else in the universe. She could have been just an average love interest helping Mickey, but she was written in a way that makes her more significant. The film crafted her to be more than just a tool.

Nasha’s role feels more personal because of what she represents in Mickey’s life. He was in literal hell after taking this job. His friend betrayed him. His whole life was taken away. Everyone only saw him as a tool to be used. No one truly cared for him or saw him as a human being. All except Nasha.

She was the only one who loved him. She cares for him more than anyone else in the universe. Every time he died or was tortured and came back, all he wanted was to see her. You can’t blame him when his source of happiness and pure joy is that person. To Mickey, life is worth living as long as Nasha is around.

For Nasha, Mickey’s life is as precious as a diamond. Without him, she wouldn’t have felt such joy from a man of pure innocence. Even if there were moments when she was just horny for him, she still loved him and wanted him. When things got tough, she was willing to risk her life just for him.

They are soulmates who support each other until the end of time.

Marshall

Marshall is the embodiment of the worst human being ever created. He doesn’t care or have the heart to understand the value of someone’s life. His only wish is to live in his dream paradise where he rules all as their god.

His goal in this film is to colonize this planet and create a pure breed of humans. He looks down on those who are dirty and lack standards. He wants a world where everything is perfect in his image.

He restricts his crew from eating a lot while he eats like a king. He orders them around as if he owns them. He sees others as beneath him, while he considers himself the perfect organism humanity has made. All this is pretty ironic since he is a literal idiot.

Throughout the film, his wife has to find the right words to explain his ideas. Without her, he’s just a bumbling fool who talks about things he has no idea about unless they involve his hormones or desire to dominate.

I doubt he had any original ideas. His wife gave him all the ideas and power to rise as a politician. Without her, he would have remained unseen and unheard.

Marshall also wants to be remembered as someone important throughout history. This desire leads him to make some of the worst decisions ever. One of his assistants often manipulates him to get the best shot at a historic moment. While his intentions are unclear, it always feels like he’s after something specific.

The Marshall is plainly stupid and moronic. Nothing about him makes us care for him, which ironically makes his character interesting. It’s ironic to see someone who obviously does not deserve it to get all the riches, power, and fame while the good are pushed aside and enslaved by this fool. Sadly, the even harsher truth is that those who are controlled and enslaved often end up celebrating their oppressor and following his every rule.

Timo

Timo is the friend who destroyed Mickey’s life and then ran off without caring. While Mickey still cares and sees him as a good friend, all Timo has ever done is use him for his own ends.

Honestly, there wasn’t much development for Timo. We see Mickey’s perspective and how he consider him as a friend, but we never really understand Timo’s side as his actions and decisions remain unclear.

Steven Yuen is a great actor, but the only moment that really stands out is near the climax when Timo finally acts. The scene where he is about to chop Mickey into pieces was horrifying and heartbreaking, as he finally realizes his best friend has betrayed him. While that moment was powerful in establishing his character, more could have been done. The film could have focused more on Mickey and Timo’s friendship, but that might have taken attention away from Nasha.

Balancing Timo’s development within the tight timing and pacing of the film is tough. He’s still a memorable character, but there isn’t much that makes him stand out. This is similar to a few other characters with potential who were forgotten or sidelined.

Yifa

Yifa, acting as the wife of the Marshal, could have been a standout. This is especially true when a talented actress like Toni Collette is portraying the character. As mentioned, Yifa appears to be the person behind controlling and disseminating all of Marshall’s plans. Since we know he is a bumbling idiot, there is no way for him to gain such power and fame on his own. He obviously had help from his wife, who directed every word he had to say.

It would have been very interesting to see the tables turned, especially in the climax, where she took over everything and seized control. She could have been an intimidating character who was revealed to be the mastermind behind the scenes. That would have allowed her to stand out as a compelling character.

However, the film did not lean into any of that. While there were implications that she was the brains of the Marshall, there was nothing else to justify that. She doesn’t do anything to rise up, nor does she acknowledge herself as the mastermind. In the climax, when she was left alone while Marshall went out to the battlefield, it would have been the perfect opportunity for her to stand out, but she did nothing. In fact, she got captured, and that was the end of the line for her.

The film tries something weird, where she revives the Marshall, only for that to be Mickey’s dream. It would have been interesting if she had taken over the facility with a dumb version of the Marshall, or cloned different versions of herself. All of that could have been interesting, but none of it was utilized. In the end, she is just an average, crazy rich person who only cares about her sauces.

Kai

This character, Kai, was suddenly thrown into focus and then forgotten about altogether. Her character feels contrived and acts as a plot convenience for reactions and audience enticement.

Kai was seen as the perfect soldier whom the Marshall wanted to breed. With this, she neither agreed nor disagreed with the notion. She just went along with it. When Mickey was nearly killed, and she acted out, the Marshall questioned her, and she simply obeyed everything that happened. When she left, there was no more mention of the breeding thing from the Marshall or anyone else.

She then acts as a seductive character trying to get Mickey 17 to her. She’s very pretty, and I envy Mickey for his resilience, but later on, her presence just fades away. She doesn’t care if some weirdo impregnated her. She goes all out for a guy who could cost her her job.

Suddenly, she goes back to caring only about her job. None of this feels consistent with what the writer wants her to be. There’s also a lesbian relationship she had, but I’m not sure if it’s an actual relationship. The film constantly mentions her and this girl as friends, but their actions don’t support that.. That pretty much sums up her whole character.

She feels inconsistent and has no purpose other than to entertain the audience. I have no problem with that, but sometimes her character issues become quite significant.

Unequal Impact

The biggest problem with this film is the uneven impact it delivers. While there is some impact throughout, it’s not evenly spread. We can see this when we analyze each section.

Exposition

The first act is the weakest. It’s a slog to get through because of how much of it is pure exposition. Although there is a scene showing character development, it isn’t enough to follow up on the expository parts. Every moment, concept, and scene is accompanied by voiceover exposition, making it hard to care and feels like we’re in a lecture. Visually, it looks good and well-shot, but if the writing isn’t equally strong, no amount of visual appeal can engage with us.

Fanfic Saga

The second act had moments of impact. The realization that another Mickey was present, along with his tense resolution, added depth. There is genuine fear and engagement as we care more for Mickey 17 through his decisions and reactions. The dinner scene stands out as well, effectively showing how heartless and foolish Marshal is. It also highlights how Mickey 17 is such a loser for not doing anything despite nearly getting killed.

Then, the film veers into literal fanfiction. From a threesome between two Mickeys, a hot girl wanting him, to discussions of sharing Mickey, it became one of the funniest and horniest scenes I’ve seen. I don’t know how they got away with it, but it was fun. While not as impactful, it at least provided some entertainment.

Locked In

The film suddenly becomes intense when conflict upon layers of conflict were met. From Mickey 18’s rage over Mickey 17’s foolishness to Nasha’s fear of losing her lover with Kai wanting to share, it’s dumb, but then followed by an insanely good sequence. The escalating conflicts of Mickey 18 wanting to confront Marshal, and others trying to stop him created a constant feeling of tension, suspense, and irony. The writing uses all the characters and themes to build towards a major confrontation.

Boring Climax

Unfortunately, the climax falls flat. The film tries to do something interesting by having Mickey connect with the creatures, but there isn’t enough development to make us care. That entire climax was hard to watch.

Mickey 18 makes a decision, and Marshal makes a stupid one, but neither leaves a lasting impression. It doesn’t push far enough to feel meaningful or significant compared to earlier scenes.

Ending?

The problem with the ending is how it rushes through all its resolutions with exposition. It repeats the mistake of the first act, leaving no real impact. There’s action, but it just feels like visual noise and filler info. The film aimed for a bold twist, but it led nowhere. It was clearly written for shock value, but it could have worked if they fully embraced it. When the credits rolled, it left a sense of mediocrity because it was so typical.

As you can see, the film constantly shifts in a way that’s not satisfying. Frequent emotional highs and lows can have an impact, whether big or small, but this film either has no impact, little impact, or suddenly locks into it, making the whole experience feel unsteady and uneven.

Concept and Symbolism

Finally, I want to discuss the film’s concept. Without a doubt, this is its strongest aspect because it’s handled with care, development, and nuance. Most sci-fi movies rely on cool visuals and outlandish ideas without adding anything new, making them feel empty and profit-driven.

Mickey 17 doesn’t do that. It takes its core concept and symbolizes its themes and ideas. The story revolves around this concept, making it feel developed and unique.

The core theme is what makes a life valuable. The concept involves a machine that creates a carbon copy of someone, symbolizing the question of whether each life is worth valuing. It challenges whether each copy can be disposable or should be treasured as if it were the last.

From this, we see how characters react and decide. Nasha values every Mickey as her sole source of life, clinging to them even if it kills her. The Marshal treats Mickey as a disposable experiment, angry when he doesn’t die. Timo uses Mickey for his own selfish needs and abandons him when he is in trouble. Mickey 18 sees himself as 17’s caretaker, helping with problems he couldn’t handle himself. Mickey 17 learns the value of life when he realizes his own might be last.

Each character reflects the thematic question uniquely. Everyone’s voice surrounds the concept, making the story feel thoughtful, complex, and distinct.

Conclusion

That’s what makes Mickey 17 stand out. The style, tone, and director matter, but the story’s theme and purpose are what truly make it memorable. This quality helps Mickey 17 be remembered for years to come despite its uneven quality in writing.

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Mickey 17 is now streaming on HBO Max

Alternative Poster of Mickey 17 by Marko Pečatnik