Bong Joon Ho is a fascinating filmmaker. Even before this South Korean native was rocketed to international popularity with his Oscar Best Picture-winning film Parasite, he had amassed a filmography of tremendous work. His films always surprise with shifts of intent that provide both thrills and introspective moments. He is also completely unafraid to mash up genres and this makes his work hard to categorise.
Parasite was released in 2019 and since then he has been busy with the excellent television series Snowpiercer but now he returns to the big screen with Mickey 17 and what a return it is! Set in a dystopian future with so many elements that mirror our present-day race into the abyss, the film vividly illustrates that his imagination and craft are as fertile as ever as is his socially biting commentary.
Robert Pattinson as the title character expands his craft and delivers a manic and unforgettable performance. He is matched Crazy for Crazy by fellow cast members Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette. The story dips into relevant topics like blindly following an ego-driven narcissist leader and embracing dangerous technology with little to no applied morality. Amidst all this is also a love story from the ages.
If you need a simple description to create interest, Mickey 17 could loosely be called science fiction but that is only on the surface and the depth of the message rivals all of Bong Joon Ho’s other works. This is a man who cares deeply about the human condition and is unafraid to tear the scab off to see what caused the initial injury. That he can create social commentary this biting that is never less than entertaining is the mark of a true original.
Rob Hudson
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