What would you agree to if you wanted to escape? Running away from sadistic loan sharks and his simpleton life on Earth, Mickey Barnes, played by Robert Pattinson, finds himself signing up to join a space expedition as an “Expendable”—a cloned worker that’s assigned life-threatening tasks, knowing their memories, personality, and body can be restored after death through a human printer, essentially making them disposable. 

Although Mickey finds his way to safety, which is space in this case, he is uninformed of the consequences of being an Expendable, re-experiencing death every mission; it’s his fault for not reading the fine print though. Shortly after arriving in the frozen foreign planet, Niflheim, Mickey 17, who was mistakenly presumed as dead, discovers his successor, Mickey 18, leading to their chaotic coexistence as they try to avoid execution from the strict anti-duplication laws.

Made by award-winning director Bong Joon Ho, “Mickey 17” (2025) is a dark comedic science fiction film that explores themes of identity and power dynamics in a colonized world. 

After getting delayed for almost a year, the film finally debuts in the theaters on March 7. The film also offers social commentary on modern western politics that is based on Edward Ashton’s novel, Mickey 7. 

Bong has been known for his social commentary that’s paired with meticulous cinematography and symbolism, his most notable film is Parasite (2019) that has won numerous awards. 

Bong intentionally plays with the audience’s expectations as he initially promoted Mickey 17 as a comedy, only to gradually unravel its darker, existential films. Much like his past films, he lures the audience in with wit and satire before exposing the unsettling realities beneath.

Robert Pattinson’s dual role once again proves his versatile acting and range as he seamlessly portrays two distinct versions of Mickey Barnes, while appearing on screen at the same time. 

It’s highly impressive that you can differentiate Mickey 17 and Mickey 18 from their body language, tone, and subtle expressions. It is evident that the Mickey in front of us is 17 when he seems more unsure of himself with bad posture, contrasting to 18 who seems more confident and angsty with his chin held high.

If you were to ask me who my favorite Mickey was, I would have to go for Mickey 17. Although, I will admit, Mickey 18 was cool, but there’s something about 17 that makes him weirdly adorable. 

His softheartedness and quirky personality appealed to me and as the movie progressed, I empathized with him even more as a series of unfortunate events keep happening to him. 

Pattinson’s performance further proves his impressive vocal and character range as we hear his Steve Buscemi-esque anxious vocal fry in a more subdued and melancholic way, following his roles from “The Devil All the Time” (2020), where he embodied a sinister manipulative preacher with a thick southern accent; “The Batman” (2022), where his deep brooding voice added to Bruce Wayne’s tortured persona; and “The Boy and The Heron” (2023), where he delivered a surreal, otherworldly performance as the Gray Heron in the english dubbing.

Another actor worth noting is Mark Ruffalo, who plays Kenneth Marshall, an authoritarian leader of the colony, whose personality and leadership style feels eerily similar to certain real-life figures. His bombastic speeches, cult-like followers, and self-serving decisions over the mission are strikingly similar to modern political figures. Marshall seems to be a twisted blend between President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

In total, “Mickey 17” is a bold and thrilling film that blends existential questions with Bong’s signature dark humor and social commentary. With Pattinson’s stellar dual performance, and Ruffalo’s commanding presence, the film offers a compelling look of what it means to be valuable and disposable in a system that sees people as mere resources. 

Its themes feel especially relevant today, mirroring how the elite exploits and discards the common people for their own gain—making it a sharp reflection of the growing divide between the top 1% and the rest of society.

I give this movie a solid 9/10. My only wish is to see more scenes with Mickey 17 and Mickey 18 as they gave me a sort of sibling dynamic, especially when they’re fighting or bantering. If you were a fan of the novel, “Mickey 7”, then I would recommend that you watch this movie despite a lot of changes being made. If you’re an avid Bong Joon Ho fan, then I would also recommend that you watch the film since it is similar to his past works. Lastly, I definitely recommend for everyone to watch “Mickey 17” since it offers a satirical take on what’s going on with American politics.

The film is currently only showing in cinemas (so check your local listings!) However, you can expect to stream Mickey 17 on Max around May or June of 2025.