Director Bong Joon Ho delivered a distinctly authentic movie earlier this 12 months amidst a crush of remakes, reboots and reimaginings.
How did audiences thank the Oscar-winner? They averted his sci-fi comedy “Mickey 17” in any respect prices. Recent concepts are all the time welcome, however crowds sniffed out this stinker from a mile away.
Now, “Mickey 17” is streaming on Max, giving those that skipped it in theaters the prospect to provide it a attempt.
Don’t trouble.
A recreation Robert Pattinson stars as Mickey Barnes, a misplaced soul who indicators up for a gig with a shady company. He agrees to be a human lab rat, submitting himself to lethal experiments whereas scientists dutifully word his physique’s reactions.
Keep in mind, children, all the time learn the tremendous print.
Mickey dies once more, and once more, whereas the company “prints” a brand new Mickey to switch the previous one. His reminiscences and life experiences have been captured on a digital brick, permitting scientists to insert his character into every printed physique.
Mickey 1 seems like Mickey 2, 3 and 4. You get the concept.
What occurs when a presumably doomed Mickey clone, name him Mickey 17, doesn’t die as deliberate?
It’s a beautiful sci-fi premise, making us contemplate mortality, the boundaries of the human soul and extra. If life is so simply taken away, what does that say in regards to the human situation? What in regards to the individuals who so casually snuff it out?
A wise storyteller might run with this theme in lots of sly instructions. “Mickey 17,” based mostly on Edward Ashton’s 2022 novel “Mickey7,” chooses the very worst choice.
He actually ought to have learn the “phrases and circumstances.” #Mickey17 – solely in theaters January 31, 2025. pic.twitter.com/l65qYsO7zM
— Mickey 17 (@Mickey17Movie) October 9, 2024
We’re launched to a Trumpian villain performed by an over-the-top Mark Ruffalo. Word to the erstwhile Hulk – depart the “over-the-top” gigs to Jim Carrey and Nicolas Cage. They don’t swimsuit you.
Ruffalo’s Kenneth Marshall is a failed politician who runs the company together with his supportive associate (Toni Collette). They’ve a legion of red-hatted followers and dream of a genetically pure human colony.
Refined.
Poor Mickey deserves our sympathy, however he inexplicably attracts a lover in Nasha (Naomi Ackie in pure GirlBossTM mode). Her character is senseless, however she’s in tremendous firm.
The story stumbles after the primary, mesmerizing half hour, and it by no means comes near recovering. Bong’s sense of comedian chaos doesn’t yield a single chuckle from this level on, and his screenplay takes a bizarre, exhausting R-rated flip.
Characters curse like classic Andrew “Cube” Clay at Madison Sq. Backyard. That not solely suffocates the movie’s satirical spirit however offers this futuristic yarn a decidedly 2025 really feel.
Horrible concept.
At one level, Nasha screams obscenities on the one-dimensional Marshall. It’s the cinematic equal of that Hillary Clinton supporter raging over Donald Trump’s 2016 victory.
“Mickey 17” actually stalls mid-film, not sure what to do subsequent. Enter a race of worm-like creatures on the planet Marshall hopes to populate. They’re CGI marvels, little question, however the movie treats them just like the indigenous inhabitants in “Avatar.”
They should be protected in any respect prices, and Marshall’s goons shortly label them because the “enemy.” Possibly “Mickey 17” isn’t as authentic as we thought.
It helps that the Na’vi have human type within the “Avatar” franchise. These creepy critters aren’t at the same time as cute as the principle character in Bong’s different sci-fi dud, “Okja.”
The movie’s many makes an attempt at social commentary fail, and the company swipes are equally stale. The “Alien” franchise did it much better a technology in the past.
Set ideology apart. “Mickey 17” is determined, uninteresting and chaotic to the core. Pattinson’s efficiency deserves reward, however he’s adrift in a swirl of screeching characters and flop-sweat plot twists.
We’ll take “Quick & Livid” Half XXI over this recent drivel any day.
