‘Mickey 17’ explores colonialism, but in space

Often known for his serious roles in films such as The Lighthouse, The Batman, and Tenet, Pattinson showcases his acting chops in Mickey 17 by exceptionally portraying the titular character. Mickey, to put it kindly, can be described as a bonehead. His predicament was brought about after signing up to become an expendable without reading any of the terms and conditions due to his attempt to escape a loan shark. His decisions, paired with his lanky mannerisms and dimwitted voice, underscore that he isn’t a sharp tool at all. What’s unique about Bong’s direction and Pattinson’s portrayal is that the movie doesn’t feel like a slapstick comedy. Mickey 17 gets some laughs from the audience, but they feel earned and only garner some when the situation calls for it. Most of the time, Mickey is getting tortured and has no way to back out, making the audience feel bad for him. He’s just a man pushed to desperation and does not deserve the experiments done to him. 

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The film’s depiction of Mickey mirrors blue-collar jobs. Physical, painful, and gruelling, these honest livings are the backbone of every civilisation, yet society often looks down upon them. Throughout the film, Mickey is constantly belittled by his colleagues and seen as worthless since he’ll come back anyway. Even his own best friend leaves him for dead, causing the Company to accidentally print Mickey 18, breaching the law against multiples and starting the central conflict.

Apart from the film’s many themes, Mickey 17 includes a love story: one that doesn’t feel forced and cheesy, one of unconditional love and genuine concern. In the early days of the voyage, Mickey meets Nasha (played by Naomi Ackie), a security agent, and the two quickly develop a bond. While seemingly shallow at first, we get to see just how much Nasha cares for Mickey—staying with him in a gas chamber while he’s being tested with an experimental nerve toxin and risking her life for someone who has infinite. Pattinson and Ackie’s on-screen rapport had the audience rooting for them and made us love Mickey even more.

Mickey 17 does a great job of mirroring real-world colonialism and blowing it up on a larger scale. Niflheim’s inhabitants are tardigrade-like aliens who resemble typical horror movie monsters. While terrifying to look at, they grow on you upon finding out they’re intelligent and gentle. Ruffalo’s character, however, brands them as disgusting and calls the entire species ‘Creepers’. Immediately, the entire colony is against these creatures and wages war—a tale as familiar as Christopher Columbus and Cecil Rhodes.

Death is a terrifying thought to most, and this doesn’t change even if one is guaranteed revival. Throughout the film, Mickey is constantly asked, ‘What’s it like to die?’ an insensitive question that he often dismisses. As an expendable, he is reduced to a number and his first name. A slave and prisoner to the Company; even the audience forgets his full name. He went through an icy and fiery hell 16 times over, feeling tired, afraid, and alone without getting desensitised to dying, but he never lost hope. With every iteration of him changing with each reprint, he finds a way to break the cycle and regain his humanity. He once again becomes Mickey Barnes, a flawed man who matters.

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