Read this movie review to find out if Bugonia is worth watching.
About Bugonia
- Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
- Written by Will Tracy
- Synopsis: “Two conspiracy-obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.”
- Release date: November 7, 2025
- Starring: Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Emma Stone, J. Carmen Galindez Barrera, Marc T. Lewis, Vanessa Eng, Cedric Dumornay, Alicia Silverstone, Stavros Halkias, Momma Cherri, and Fredricka Whitfield
What happens when a paranoid beekeeper kidnaps a high-powered CEO, thinking she’s part of an alien invasion? This is the fascinating plot of Yorgos Lanthimos’ (Poor Things) latest film, the darkly satirical remake of a South Korean film.
The movie follows two worlds. First, Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone), the manicured and opulent CEO of Auxolith, a pharmaceutical company. She lives alone in a sterile world, taking vitamins to slow her aging and doing interviews for Forbes magazine. On the other hand is the alien conspiracy-obsessed Teddy Gatz, Jesse Plemons (Civil War), and his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis), living alone in an isolated, rundown cabin in the woods of a small town. They’re both isolated, but they collide when the two jump her in her driveway and chain her in the basement. The first half of the movie follows the two shaving her head and slathering on anti-histamine cream to block her communications to the little green men. Then Teddy interrogates her to take him to her “spaceship” and broker negotiations between the “Andromedans” and Earth. They have three days before the lunar eclipse, which is a wonderful narrative device to keep the plot moving and give a sense of urgency. She denies being an alien, of course, leading to several unhinged and terrifying moments.
Stone plays Fuller as the perfect girl boss CEO, like Elizabeth Holmes. At the same time, she’s struggling to keep up the hypocrisy of championing diversity while complaining about using the word too much. It’s a nuanced role, and she pulls it off.
Meanwhile, Jesse Plemons perfectly plays a disheveled man struggling through life as a working-class guy while trying to fight for equality in a world controlled by the wealthy and elite. There’s an intense paranoia and complexity to the role, and he wonderfully manages to be terrifying and sympathetic at the same time.
Delbis, in his first film role, plays the sweet neurodivergent cousin who doesn’t understand Teddy’s ramblings but loves him enough to follow his demands. The role doesn’t demand much, but he gives all the sincerity and honesty that Lanthimos needs to counterbalance the two.
The film’s a satire of corporate power, conspiracy culture, and environmental anxieties. Unlike action-oriented alien invasion movies like War of the Worlds, Yorgos Lanthimos’ cynical film is a slow, intimate exploration of human cruelty rather than a conventional sci-fi thriller. Are there actual aliens? Teddy thinks so, and that belief grounds the incredibly silly and half-baked conspiracy theories. The film is less surreal than the director’s other films, and it’s a bit messier because of that. But cinematographer Robbie Ryan and production designer James Price effectively use austere visuals, evocative lighting, and claustrophobic settings to reinforce themes of imprisonment and desperation. All three are trapped in some way and are desperately trying to escape physically or emotionally.
The movie is a loving remake of the 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet! but differs in a few ways to make it work for American audiences. The movie changes the kidnapped CEO from a man to a woman, adding gender and power dynamics to the complex narrative. Also, the remake takes a more cynical, satirical tone while the original balances absurdity with sincerity.
The film is a journey into pessimism, characterized by sardonic and malicious tones. The nihilistic themes may not resonate with everyone, and the violence is intentionally shocking and disturbing, but the film effectively captures the current human experience. With the Luigi Mangione trial in the news, it’s hard not to reflect on the cruelty of Big Pharma. While the movie doesn’t intentionally reference it, it’s hard not to make the comparison. In fact, the movie doesn’t make any explicit messages, so the overarching message is unclear. It would be a more successful narrative if it hadn’t pulled so many punches.
The performances of Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons are critical to the film’s depth, depicting morally ambiguous characters. They both nail the roles perfectly. While enjoyable, it’s mid-tier for Lanthimos due to a lack of cohesive expression of his cinematic style. The best example is the final scene, which stretches on for too long against bleak images.
Overall: Skip Bugonia
It’s a thought-provoking, darkly comic commentary on modern anxieties. It’s worth watching, but hard to recommend unless you enjoy this type of film. But I’m giving it three and a half out of five stars.
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