It Feels Like We Have Been Here Before - A Review of Mickey 17

Mickey 17 is a science-fiction satire loosely based upon the novel Mickey7 by American author Edward Ashton that only saw the light of day three years ago. This movie takes place thirty years in the future and follows an indebted man who runs away from home by signing up as an expandable worker for a spaceship crew aiming to colonize a planet known as Niflheim. Mickey Barnes has to accomplish dangerous missions for manipulative religious leader and failed politician Kenneth Marshall. Whenever he dies, a clone of him is printed and programmed with the protagonist's original identity. Problems start to occur when one version of the protagonist is believed to be murdered by mysterious aliens who actually save his life and a new clone is already being printed in the spaceship.

This science-fiction satire has a few strong elements that deserve to be praised. The camera work is calm and precise. The visual special effects are on the pulse of time but never exaggerated. The aliens are intellectually appealing. This film criticizes numerous elements such as cloning, colonialism, militarism as well as religious and political agendas that can still be found frequently in our real world. This film's story and style often remind of Bong Joon-ho's Snowpiercer released twelve years earlier that is based upon a four-volume French climate fiction graphic novel.

However, this new movie also has multiple flaws that need to be mentioned. The film's plot is predictable from start to finish and fails to come around with any noteworthy twists and turns. The movie's pace is dragging as its length overstays its welcome by at least half an hour. The acting performances and character depth are often repetitive and superficial as viewers will have a hard time emphasizing with anyone in this film.

At the end of the day, we have an average science-fiction film that fails to explore new ground. Fans of the contemporary Dune movies might want to give this film a try. Occasional science-fiction aficionados can however skip Mickey 17 without any regrets. Fans of director Bong Joon-ho might feel slightly disappointed by this film and should rather explore his greatest films from the past such as atmospheric psychological thriller Memories of Murder.