Mickey 17 and the Films of Bong Joon-ho

This is a follow-up post to last year’s Spotlight on the films of Bong Joon-Ho.

Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000)

Memories of Murder (2003)

The Host (2006)

Mother (2009)

Snowpiercer (2013)

Okja (2017)

Parasite (2019)

Mickey 17 (2025)

Mickey 17, based on Edward Ashton’s book Mickey 7, has themes related to a few of Bong’s previous films such as Snowpiercer, The Host and Okja: sci-fi setting and humanity on verge of extinction (Snowpiercer), connection with an animal (Okja), killing an alien creature with chemical gas (The Host). The perception around the creature changes as the film progresses in a similar manner to that shown in The Host. At first, the alien creature is terrifying but the film changes that perception when it highlights the cruel violent nature of humans. In this aspect, the monstrous nature of humans is similar to that depicted in Okja. Interestingly, Bong first depicted scenes of humans cruelty towards animals in his first feature Barking Dogs Never Bite.

Mickey 17 also pokes at class differences akin Parasite but those differences are presented as a matter-of-fact and the film doesn’t linger on those differences. Amusingly, the sophisticated rich elites are shown to be morons while the perceived moron Mickey (Robert Pattinson) turns out to be pretty adept at navigating the alien world. The dark humour one associates with a Bong Joon Ho film is found in spades and Mickey 17 also manages to sneak in a very on-the nose Trump reference. Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo) is shown to be a failed politician who lost two elections (unlike our real world) but he has a cult like appeal over his fans, some of whom are seen wearing a red cap in the audience. In addition, Marshall’s speeches and his overall demeanour is akin to Trump. Marshall’s persona is in fitting with his over-the-top cartoonish wife Ylfa (Toni Collette) whose character appears to a distant cousin to Tilda Swinton’s characters from Snowpiercer and Okja.

Parasite was always going to be a tough act to follow and in that sense, Mickey 17 is a step down from the heights of Parasite. The film has some impactful moments but the tone is uneven and certain segments don't add up to a coherent whole. While Mickey 17 fits in with the overall cinematic body of work of Bong Joon-ho, the film’s shortcomings are also a reminder that Parasite is the perfect illustration of Bong Joon-ho's style.

Updated ranking of Bong Joon-ho’s features and shorts:

1. Memories of Murder (2003)

This film still holds on as the best Bong Joon-ho film. 

2. Parasite (2019) 

A very close second. The most perfect distillation of Bong’s style. 

3. The Host (2006)

4. Mother (2009)

5. Snowpiercer (2013)

6. Okja (2017)

7. Mickey 17 (2025)

8. Influenza (2004)

9. Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000)

10. Incoherence (1994)

11. Shaking Tokyo (2008)

12. White Man (1994)