Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for “Mickey 17” (2025).
What does it feel like to die? Haven’t you ever wondered?
Picture this. There exists a near distant future where powerful men who are unable to rule on Earth decide to instead set their sights beyond our floating rock and launch a mission to colonize other planets. While doing so, they create “expendables,” individuals who will sign their bodies and rights away to serve this new colonization effort and be able to feed themselves. The new ruler is egotistical and maniacal, waging war on the planet’s inhabitants. Oh, and cloning has been perfected. Sound plausible?
This is the foundation that “Mickey 17” stands on. Written and directed by Bong Joon-ho, the director of “Parasite” (2019), and starring Robert Pattinson as the aforementioned Mickey, this dark comedy sci-fi is full of cynical humor and — of course — relevant political topics.
Based on the 2022 book, “Mickey7,” “Mickey 17” follows Mickey Barnes — an expendable. After getting mixed up with a powerful loan shark, Mickey and his best friend, Timo (Steven Yeun), escape into space by joining a new colonization effort by Congressman Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo). After becoming an “expendable,” Mickey quickly falls in love with Officer Nasha (Naomi Ackie). As an expendable, Mickey is “reprinted” every time he dies, so it makes sense that he is sent off on the most dangerous tasks to help colonize life on Marshall’s new ice planet.
After 16 missions (and deaths) exposing him to the harsh environment of the ice planet, Niflheim, Mickey helps to create a vaccine to allow the other colonizers to breathe the planet’s air. Now No. 17, Mickey joins a small expedition to explore the caves that populate the “pure, white planet.” Here, the colonizers discover the inhabitants of the planets, creatures that hide in the cave’s walls. When one of the colonizers is killed by these creatures after attacking them, Marshall names them “creepers.” Almost as unique as being renamed the Gulf of America.
After Marshall demands that Mickey bring back a “creeper” for research, Mickey is forced to hunt down the Niflheim inhabitants for the purpose of eliminating the species from the planet. Only, when he finds a “creeper,” he falls to his death in the ice caves. Or at least, he falls and almost dies before making it out with the help of dozens of “creepers.” However, this unexpected survival leaves unintended consequences, as Mickey 18 has already arrived. And now, with multiples running around, Mickey 17 faces true death.
One of the reasons “Mickey 17” works so well is Pattinson’s performance as both Mickey 17 and Mickey 18. The two, despite sharing the same makeup and memories, are vastly different versions of “Mickey.” 17, despite being “older,” is far more feeble than 18. While 18 wants revenge on those who treat Mickeys horribly, 17 is convinced murder is not the solution. While 17 squirms away from violence and pain, 18 plans a political movement against Marshall. Pattinson’s performance allows anyone to quickly distinguish between the two; 17 sits hunched and meek, while 18 stands straight and looks everyone dead in the eyes. Yet, one thing they share is a mutual fear of final death.
Like all good dark comedy sci-fis, “Mickey 17” asks important ethical questions about colonization, war, corruption and death. Is cloning and reprinting living beings going against a rule of nature? Who has the power and right to colonize another in an already inhabited planet? Is war the only outcome of conflict and mistakes? And are corrupt leaders simply an inherent part of our lives?
As an “expendable,” Mickey’s life is treated as unimportant and completely disposable. Because of their innovative cloning technology, Mickey must always sacrifice himself and put himself in danger for the greater good. And those who are not “expendables” are not encouraged to treat Mickey as a real person. His best friend uses Mickey’s cloning to fix his own mistakes, women claim Mickey copies for their own and Marshall does not see Mickey as an important part of the human race. However, the ethics of this treatment are overlooked in the name of the possibilities of science. Even the kindest of the science team, Dorothy (Patsy Ferran), is simply using Mickey to experiment for most of the film’s duration. Not only do these scientists, politicians and religious leaders see bodies as tools, they also see other planets as free real estate. It sounds completely unheard of…
It cannot be ignored that, like much media of the current age, “Mickey 17” is full of allegories to our political climate. Ruffalo’s Marshall is a clear mockery of the sitting United States president, though the film was shot three years ago. With his constantly pursed lips, Marshall’s dimwittedness and power-hungry nature puts not only Mickey but the entire colony at risk. The man has no remorse for living creatures, declaring war on the so-called “aliens,” despite the humans colonizing their home. In one particularly timely scene, a political rebellion seems to stir as an assassination attempt is made on Marshall, a single bullet grazing the cheek of the politician as he rallies his supporters. Backed by the church, Marshall promises to move forward in colonizing the planet and ridding the society of those he deems too low to live. Even when Marshall seems to finally be sacked, his always-possible comeback lingers in the air.
So, what does it feel like to die? To lay down your life out of fear, necessity, anger, acceptance? Is it even a fair question to ask or understand? Or should some things, places and people be left alone?
“Mickey 17” is playing in theaters now.
