Bong Joon-ho’s Sci-Fi Film 'Mickey 17' Explores Capitalism and Human Replaceability

The director's first Hollywood sci-fi epic, starring Robert Pattinson, examines themes of class struggle and existential despair in a dystopian future.

• Mickey 17, based on Edward Ashton’s novel, follows a working-class protagonist who is repeatedly cloned and sacrificed for dangerous missions on a colonized ice planet.
• Bong Joon-ho continues his focus on class dynamics, portraying the exploitation of labor in a future capitalist system through the lens of dark comedy and science fiction.
• Robert Pattinson delivers a multifaceted performance as Mickey and his clone, navigating themes of identity, survival, and resistance in a bleak setting.
• Critics have offered mixed reviews, praising the film's performances and thematic ambition but noting its slow pacing and uneven comedic elements.
• The film marks Bong's return to sci-fi after Snowpiercer, blending intimate character studies with large-scale dystopian imagery and social critique.

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