The question of what happens after death has plagued and fascinated the human race since we became sentient, and there are as many interpretations as there are individual stories to be told, with absolutely none of us having a more accurate opinion than anyone else. Yet, it hasn’t stopped some truly fascinating conversations around the fickle boundary between life and death, something that has proven to be the source of some rigorous, compelling debate. However, it is generally agreed that the worst possible outcome (outside of a fiery inferno of an afterlife) is to simply be reborn as you were when you died – almost a direct copy that continues exactly where you left off. This is the premise for Mickey 17, the latest satire written and directed by Bong Joon-ho, making his triumphant return after a years-long victory lap from being finally consolidated as one of the most essential voices in world cinema. Based on the novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton, the film follows the exploits of the titular character, a down-on-his-luck earthling who decides to escape a loan shark by retreating to the only place where he does not believe he can be found – outer space. He enlists in a programme to become an Expendable, whereby he undergoes a process where his biological data and memories are uploaded onto a server, and put to work in increasingly hostile, dangerous situations, which he can do without any fear as the moment he dies, a new version of him will be regenerated, quite literally printed using this groundbreaking technology, complete with the same memories and physical qualities, allowing him to continue his journey with minimal disruption. A concept that is already tailored to Bong’s exceptional vision, the esteemed director takes his time to develop on the original novel and its fascinating ideas, handcrafting quite a daring, engaging examination of the human condition, combining daring sociocultural commentary with his trademark wit and candour that makes this yet another feather in his proverbial cap.

The themes that propel Mickey 17 are clear right from the start – and considering Bong optioned Ashton’s novel before it even went into publication, it’s clear that he saw the potential in the material and its concept, which is extremely compelling primarily because of its simplicity. The most intriguing kind of science fiction tends to be that which does not promote itself as being overly elaborate or layered, but rather takes a simple concept and explores it in detail, piquing our curiosity with its novel ideas, but drawing us in and maintaining our attention through its familiarity, at least in terms of its fundamental themes. Bong has always been fascinated by dystopian landscapes and how humans survive in perilous situations – and it’s not difficult to see why these ideas would appeal to him, considering his interests as not only a filmmaker, but a director who is always conscious about how he reflects the world that surrounds him. Death is a fascinating concept, since it is the definition of finality – it is somehow binary (since someone can only be alive or dead), but yet there’s so much ambiguity that surrounds it, and we struggle to understand its innermost nature, despite it being the one aspect of life that is guaranteed to us all. Science fiction interweaves seamlessly with existential philosophy in Mickey 17, which takes a relatively trivial idea and transforms it into an engaging, enthralling examination of life and death, and how there is a possibility that it could be reversed, or at least have its finality challenged, something that has become less far-fetched as time has gone on and we’ve attempt to play God, which may seem exciting but rarely has particularly pleasant outcomes, as we’ve seen in so many works of speculative fiction that explore these ideas. At its core, Mickey 17 is a fascinating satire that combines philosophy, science and politics into a delightfully mangled jumble of ideas, and it’s difficult to imagine anyone other than Bong being able to see the potential to do something extremely unique with these ideas, creating yet another very effective social satire.

While we can wax poetic about his ideas and how he brings them to life on screen, Bong is a director whose work always reflects a stark, unsettling social message. Even the detractors of Mickey 17 note that it is admirable in terms of the meaning beneath the surface – and its not unfathomable to consider this film as joining Snowpiercer and Okja as forming an unofficial trilogy of socially-conscious science fiction satires, exploring a number of very familiar themes in a way that is engaging and profound, but where its deeper meanings are not hidden far from view. The political foundation of this film is clear from the start – we don’t need to have too deep of a knowledge to draw correlations between these characters and their real-world counterparts, and Bong is having a field day creating a number of allegorical scenarios in which he gleefully subverts and challenges everything we believe to be true, creating such incredibly layered commentary on our own reality, and making sure that we are constantly reminded that this is not just a work of purely speculative fiction, but something that has a clear meaning lingering beneath the surface. In Mickey 17, the director once again takes aim at neo-colonialism, and how we are a species that feel superior to the point where we believe that we have dominion not only on our own planet, but also any that we are able to reach. Ultimately, it comes down to the cliched adage of “just because we can’t doesn’t mean we should”, which is a common thread that flows through so many of his films as he explores the ramifications of our false sense of superiority, and the schadenfreude those who do not subscribe to such myopic ideas feel when those perpetuating such bizarre beliefs are shown the error of their ways. As conscious of social and environmental issues as ever, Bong ensures that we are consistently reminded of the themes that punctuate this film, making Mickey 17 an unexpectedly layered, complex examination of humanity, and our often flawed relationship with our environment, which isn’t always particularly easy to navigate when we are led to believe that anything that is within our reach inherently is ours for the taking.

However bold as his vision may be, Bong acknowledges that he is not alone in the creation of these stories, and that he can only succeed in bringing these stories to life with strong collaborators on both sides of the camera. As was the case with some of his previous films, he fills Mickey 17 with recognizable actors, but rather than making it a star-studded affair in which the actors are cast solely for their presence, he extracts exceptional work from all of them. I’d hesitate to say anyone is delivering career-best work in this film (the nature of the story means that many bold, divisive choices were made throughout), but they’re all doing something quite brilliant, even if the individual interpretations can be slightly polarizing. The titular role is portrayed by Robert Pattinson, who has proven his versatility to the point where even remarking on it feels completely redundant – few actors have ever reinvented themselves to the point of going from the subject of constant ridicule to the very definition of diversity than Pattinson, who has been committed to his promise of seemingly never delivering the same performance twice. He plays many different iterations of the main character (in particular two in tandem), and his ability to define them each as clear individuals while not changing anything about his appearance, is an incredible testament to his talent and commitment to pushing himself as an actor. He seems to be someone who will continue to deliver astonishing, diverse performances and never have a single defining role – but considering his willingness to go for absolutely anything, we’re fortunate that he has outright refused to rest on his laurels, and is seemingly showing very few signs of ceasing this practice. He’s supported by an excellent cast – Mark Ruffalo is the perfect embodiment of the maniacal, self-centered technological oligarch that believes that they have a place in politics, and Toni Collette is exceptional as his equally-grotesque wife, the pair breathing life into these repulsive villains and chewing every ounce of scenery. Naomi Ackie and Anamaria Vartolomei are brilliant as the close companions of the titular character, challenging the often limited perspective science fiction has when it comes to female characters, and ultimately being the heart and soul of the film. Bong always brings out the best in his actors, and Mickey 17 is certainly proof of his strong rapport with his ensembles, who are in turn more than committed to working to realise his vision.

There is something quite special about Bong’s approach to bringing these stories to life, and while many may not consider him a visual stylist in the traditional sense, his films are all absolutely stunning, making exceptional use of the technology available to him, while still offering something earnest and genuine that is not merely built on the promise of dazzling visuals, and instead occupy something much more engaging. Mickey 17 is a beautifully-made film, and the director works laboriously to construct environments that feel more complex than just retreading the same few tropes usually associated with this genre – everything from the worldbuilding to the design of the ship and the planet that serves as the stage for the climactic final act are impeccable. Working with a sprawling team of creative individuals plucked from several different corners of the globe, Bong creates a film that is as visually arresting as it is narratively complex, the two working in tandem to tell this story. The cinematography by Darius Khondji captures the snowy landscapes that represent this faraway planet beautifully, creating a memorable location that seems both inviting and enigmatic, which is quite a rare achievement for a genre usually built on an examination of the unknown. There’s something quite enticing about this film and how it functions, with its quiet commitment and self-assured nature making it seem like quite an effortless offering from Bong, who is vehemently against the kind of showboating we normally find from those working within this genre, proving that a good concept can speak for itself, and that over-the-top techniques are not needed to make something seem compelling. The special effects are used well, and never to the point where it feels like they’re enveloping the film, which works best when it is at its most human, which I suspect will be the reason it ages much better than less-effective entries into the genre that we’ve seen attempt to leave an impression, but fail to capture that elusive spark that makes a film like Mickey 17 so utterly engaging and profound.

Bong tends to take extensive breaks in between films, and the journey between Parasite (which many agree will be the film for which he will be most remembered when all is said and done) and Mickey 17 was still quite long even by these standards. It was going to be quite difficult for any film to follow the immense critical and cultural success of Parasite, regardless of quality. Nonetheless, he is fervent in his commitment to the belief that the only approach is to do something very different, in the hopes of avoiding comparisons as far as possible. The quiet confidence with which this film was made shows just how incredibly assured Bong was in its construction – he is at the point in his career where he is not interested in proving himself, and is instead making the films that interest him, and telling the stories that he finds most engaging and important, regardless of whether or not there is a wider audience that will see the appeal in his unique vision. Understandably, it’s likely that this film is going to be more of a cult classic more than a generation-defining masterpiece, since it is an acquired taste, with the jagged tonal shifts and often complex portrayal of deep philosophical and existential concepts not making it as accessible as some may expect. Yet, it is quintessentially Bong, a film that represents his incredible skillfulness, wonderful eye for detail and deranged sense of humour. It is anchored by some fantastic performances, and has such a unique worldview, we find ourselves easily getting lost within its many chambers of complex, detailed storytelling. Time will likely be kind to Mickey 17, a film that is wickedly entertaining and superbly well-made, but most importantly came to us at the perfect time, reflecting certain issues that we are seeing transpiring around us, and whether it is merely a 137-minute flight of fancy, or a sobering, harsh depiction of our future remains to be seen – but in either case, it is a film well worth our time, and another terrific offering from a true artistic visionary.