When this film is deviating from the source material, just what happens next is anyone’s guess. When this narrative mixes up elements from Edge of Tomorrow and Starship Troopers, I’m already hooked! And for the star to be geeked to resemble Steve Rogers before becoming Captain America results from some excellent makeup design.
In some ways, he’s very much like Philip J. Fry from Futurama. Anyone can step all over him. After he’s sent out in the field to look for life in a frozen world and left for dead, he’s already cloned. And when version 17 meets 18, that’s when the real fun begins. Both are opposites! Pattinson is magnificent at playing up or down the nuances of meek versus vindictive. And as for how this director sneaks in some wry humour, it’s simply in how he’s shaped the story to be more than a dark sci-fi comedy.
As 17 learns how to live, especially in getting the girl (Naomi Ackie), even she has ideas when the two are together. Although this part of the story doesn’t have too much depth, it’s easy to tell they’re hot for each other. To watch the “three” together conjured up thoughts about the Jim Carrey movie Me, Myself and Irene. While there are two individuals in this film, the other is more about split personalities.
Pretty soon, I wondered if both the film and book were also wanting to take a stab at what new personas can emerge after a glitch occurs. When there’s a scene showing the scientists being inept at the job, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Also, this work omits scenes concerning this device’s maintenance. While the brick that contains all of Mickey’s memories and engrams is rock solid, other problems can go wrong.
But when another threat concerns the pill bugs threatening the colony, there’s a valid reason. Although that sets the tension between the humans and alien species, the question of who is worse gets vividly displayed. It made me think about the colonial efforts back when North America was discovered. And at the same time, I can’t help but wonder if these bugs are the natural evolved form of H.P. Lovecraft’s Shoggoths. They’re much more intelligent than primordial and that’s a good thing!
However, when the main story is concerned about the ethics of cloning and why they deserve a chance to live, what’s presented as a conclusion is reasonable. As for the threat of destroying a native species, it’s not as well explored. At the same time, I was also thinking about the cruel treatment of elephants. I’ll have a review coming soon about that, and the reason why I see that in this film is because of how the antics of the younger ones resemble the young pachyderm!
As for why Marshall is so afraid of them, that’s because he’s manipulated by his ruthless wife. Ruffalo is great at hamming it up, and the character he plays is someone you hope will get his just deserts. As for what’s next for Mickey, he gets everything he hoped for, and much more. Now the next question is, just how many more little ones will be born (not cloned) when it’s truly time for him to pass on.
4 Stars out of 5
Mickey 17 Movie Trailer
