Bugonia (2025) Review!!

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.

My Take – Filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos is back again to tease our own sanity by re-teaming with his regular collaborator Emma Stone, who has famously shaved her head for the role and deserves credit for her continued willingness to take big risks with director’s material, for yet another zany, provocative feature.

A film that, on the surface, plays like a usual absurd Lanthimos romp, but quickly veers into something far darker, stranger and more unsettling than we’ve seen from the Greek filmmaker before.

Loosely based on the 2003 Korean cult classic ‘Save the Green Planet!‘, the screenplay from writer Will Tracy (The Menu), changes the gender of the corporate character, takes that original story’s structure and rebuilds them into something colder, funnier, and disturbingly relevant. Resulting in a film that’s absurd in the truest sense and manages to be an excellent darkly comic yet outrageous satire about belief, and paranoia.

Sure, a few scenes drag out their oddness, and some of the big ideas don’t land quite as hard as they think they do, yet by the time the shocking and unexpectedly moving climax kicks in, those flaws feel more than necessary. P

articularly, the final 10 minutes transforms the narrative’s chaos into something strangely profound, delivering the kind of zany and hilarious payoff that once again reminds us why Yorgos Lanthimos has become renowned as one of the most distinctive filmmakers of this generation.

The story follows Teddy (Jesse Plemons), an eccentric loner, conspiracy theorist and beekeeper, who has been devastated by the progressive loss of the honeybee population and the eco-violence caused by the vast retail/pharmaceutical conglomerates. Mistrustful of mainstream media, he has been doing his own research on the internet about capitalism and elitist conspiracies, and believes that a malignant alien species known as the “Andromedans” are behind everything.

One of whom he believes to be Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone), the CEO of the pharmaceutical mega-corporation known as Auxolith. Predicting that with a lunar eclipse around the corner, during which an Andromedan spacecraft will visit Earth, Teddy and his neurodivergent cousin Don (Aidan Delbis) kidnap Michelle, shave off her hair, cover her in an antihistamine cream to prevent her from sending out a distress signal, throw her into the cellar, and bid her to summon the Andromedan emperor to negotiate a meeting to leave earthlings alone.

Though the premise is simple, there’s something almost cruelly funny about how far Teddy and Don go in their delusion with absolute conviction. And the methodical game of virtual chess between them and Michelle is a joy to watch, as both she and her Teddy exchange ideologies and unravel each other’s arguments.

In lesser hands, the concept might have collapsed under its own ridiculousness, but the director’s signature tone, that uneasy mix of deadpan humor and grotesque characters, keeps everything teetering on the edge of brilliance. The conversations crackle, the pacing is tight, and the score by Jerskin Fendrix (Poor Things) is wild, going from classical chaos to haunting minimalism in seconds.

Here, director Lanthimos is also unafraid to bring the politics of our age to the core: Teddy has a stench of incel about him as he has chemically castrated himself (and his cousin) and spouts hate of the elites. But the script takes care not to caricature him and reveals a grief that has morphed into profound grievance.

Add to that the gorgeous cinematography helmed by Robbie Ryan. The film plays out on an idyllic rural farm, where honey bees flutter amid a sea of colorful flowers, gathering nectar. The scenery is gorgeous, showcasing nature’s beauty. This contrasts with the plot, in which Fuller’s company is accused of polluting the environment and destroying natural resources. This beautiful setting continues until Teddy pulls Fuller into the basement, where it transforms into a scene from a horror film.

Yes, the film also drags a little in the middle, when it’s locked in a prisoner drama that grows a little. But the payoff is immense and by the time the film reaches its unforgettable finale, it’s made chillingly clear just how feeble any such movement or call to action might be.

Unsurprisingly, both Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons deliver mesmerizing performances in this bizarre, twisted battle of ideologies. Their verbal sparring feels like a chess match where the stakes are the future of humanity, or at least the illusion of it. Stone is electrifying as ever. She oscillates between terror, charm and biting sarcasm, giving the film its wild tonal shifts throughout. Her commitment here is admirable, even to the point of shaving her hair for the cause, and that is a testament to her faith in the director’s vision.

Plemons brings one of his most layered turns yet, proving once again that he is one of the best actors working currently. He’s terrifying and tragic all at once, a man so convinced of his purpose that it becomes spiritual. Watching him unravel is like a treat in itself.

Aidan Delbis also often manages to steal the show. In his limited but heartwarming role, we meet a character who is inherently a good soul, corrupted by his cousin’s paranoia. Stavros Halkias and Alicia Silverstone also make for small and wonderful additions. On the whole, ‘Bugonia‘ is yet another well-executed, tense and darkly funny thriller that leaves us with a rare mix of awe and unease.