‘Mickey 17’ Review: Bong Joon-ho Delivers a Sci-Fi Epic Teeming With Life

It’s been almost exactly five years since Parasite swept the Oscars and became the first foreign language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, and now it’s finally time to see how Bong Joon-ho follows his critically acclaimed psychological thriller. After releasing a more grounded film in 2019, Joon-ho’s next project on the slate is rooted more in the realm of sci-fi with extraterrestrial elements at play, but does Mickey 17 put the pieces together and deliver a hit worthy of following a movie that won four Oscars?

Mickey 17‘s road to theaters has been long and winding — it wrapped filming more than two years ago, but Joon-ho has been clashing with Warner Bros. over what goes in the final cut, a battle he fortunately won. With a fairly lengthy but increasingly common runtime of two hours and 19 minutes and three Oscar nominees leading the ensemble, Bong Joon-ho has all the tools to supply yet another hit. And while the story takes a bit longer than Parasite to find its footing, its ultimate message is timeless: Everyone deserves a chance at happiness.

What Is ‘Mickey 17’ About?

Mickey 17 tells the story of Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson), a low-life on Earth who gets into trouble with his friend Timo (Steven Yeun) after the two go all in on a macaroon business that, to no one’s surprise, fails to make a profit. They end up neck-deep in debt, and the only way to escape the loan sharks vehemently pursuing them is to venture on an interstellar mission to colonize the dangerous ice planet, Niflheim.

Timo stumbles into a position as a pilot, but Mickey lands the unfortunate job of an Expendable — someone sent out on dangerous missions to die over and over again, only to be “reprinted” and returned to life anew each time. Everything changes when Mickey 17 falls through the ice and is assumed dead, so Mickey 18 is born. However, when Mickey 17 stumbles back to base, he finds Mickey 18 lying in his bed, violating the “no multiples” rule that is punishable by execution.

After a brief scuffle, the two find themselves entangled with the local species who call Niflheim home, which the humans have dubbed “Creepers.” Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo) and his wife Ylfa (Toni Collette) have a desire to study the creatures, but when one of the scientists creates a device that allows humans to communicate with the Creepers, they’re finally able to learn what the natives want. However, the road to a compromise is anything but smooth.

Director Bong Joon-ho Ensures ‘Mickey 17’ Feels Alive Every Step of the Way

Hundreds, if not thousands, of movies are released in theaters and on streaming each year, and while many fail to live on in memory after walking out of the movie theater, Bong Joon-ho ensures that Mickey 17 will be remembered long after it’s done earning money at the box office. The film is infused with the kind of heart and passion that serves as a reminder of why AI needs to be left out of the writer’s room.

Mickey 17 doesn’t feel like a two-hour movie that was filmed on a specific set with actors showing up to do a job every day. Even during the first act, when the film is working to find its footing, Mickey 17 feels like a living, breathing creature that was nursed to life by director Bong Joon-ho and treated with care. The film reminds the audience that, while life may sometimes feel monotonous and without meaning, there is beauty in the everyday tasks that we’ve all become so comfortable carrying out without a second thought.

As with any Bong Joon-ho movie, Mickey 17 operates on a technical level that most films only dream of. Every shot is calculated; there isn’t an ounce of wasted space, and both the pacing and editing are executed flawlessly with CGI that doesn’t distract from the story. It feels like a movie that was years in the making and one that Joon-ho took his time with to ensure tangibles and intangibles alike were in tip-top shape.

Robert Pattinson Brings a Timeless Message To Life With Fervor and Passion

17 years removed from his breakout performance in Twilight, Pattinson has yet to receive an Oscar nomination from the Academy. Mickey 17 releasing less than a week after the 2025 Academy Awards likely won’t bode well for its awards chances at the 2026 ceremonies, but if there was only one Oscar to give out for Mickey 17, it would undoubtedly be for Robert Pattinson’s performance.

As an Expendable, Mickey has to deal with everyone around him assuming he’s comfortable dying since it’s happened so many times, but it’s during his quiet moments alone that he shares his true feelings. Even after dying more than 15 times, the fear of death never really goes away, and Pattinson portrays that terror with a soft elegance while also allowing audiences to see the harder side of his persona with Mickey 18.

It comes as a bit of a shock when Mickey 17 and 18 meet for the first time, and the two have entirely different personalities. Mickey 17 is more soft-spoken and shy, while 18 is more aggressive and, at times, rude. This dynamic between the two doesn’t work if Pattinson isn’t putting on his finest performance, and it’s almost impossible to believe that the two are the same person. Not only does Pattinson have a different dialect for Mickey 17 and 18, but their mannerisms, attitudes, and opinions towards others are wildly different despite sharing the same memories and appearance.

Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette Are the Perfect Villainous Duo

Mark Ruffalo is a four-time Oscar nominee who has also become known for his role as Bruce Banner, but Mickey 17 thrusts him into the feature villain role. Kenneth Marshall is the perfect antagonist for Mickey 17; he’s an unserious person who has stumbled into enough power that he has to be taken seriously. He’s a glorified reality TV host with a massive ego who has failed upwards his entire life — a strategy he praises in the film — and now enjoys taking advantage of people. Where have we heard this before?

Toni Collette does a stellar job alongside Mark Ruffalo as his wife, Ylfa. She puts on a front for others as a pillar of support for him, but she’s always whispering in his ear and acting as the true mind behind most of his decisions. Collette is phenomenal in Mickey 17, and while her capacity is smaller than Ruffalo and most of her other co-stars, she makes the most of her scenes by rising to the level of her scene partners instead of submitting to it.

‘Mickey 17’ May Not Sweep the Oscars, but It’s Worthy of Its Namesake

It’s rare for a writer/director to follow an Oscar sweep with another award-winning film. Mickey 17 will likely not find the same success as Parasite, but it has proven to be more than a worthy follow-up to the 2019 film, and it will stand the test of time alongside Parasite as one of Bong Joon-ho’s best films. With a timeless message, brilliant performances, and stunning sci-fi elements, Mickey 17 has all the pieces to finish as one of the best movies of the year.

Mickey 17 is now playing in theaters everywhere. Follow Agents of Fandom on socials for all the latest entertainment news and reviews.