The boundary between reality and madness blurs in a way that only he could orchestrate. Director Yorgos Lanthimos crafts “Bugonia” with his playful darkness. Some of his previous works include “Poor Things” (2023), “The Favorite” (2018), and “Kinds of Kindness” (2024), and he is known for interesting and very peculiarly produced movies that leave you with mixed emotions.
“Bugonia” follows two conspiracy theorist cousins, Teddy, played by Jesse Plemons, and Don, played by Aiden Deblis, who believe corporate billionaire CEO Michelle Fuller, played by Emma Stone, is an alien.
Going into this movie, I asked myself the question, “How is this movie of two guys kidnapping a CEO gonna to be two hours long?” The movie actually ended up being a lot more than just a kidnapping.
Many moviegoers don’t know it’s a remake of the 2003 Korean movie “Save the Green Planet” that follows a similar plot. Lanthimos amps up the craziness while keeping the core idea intact, though he makes it even more timely for our era of strange conspiracies that no one understands.
This sci-fi comedy is a remarkable performance by all actors. Stone is a well-known actress who has worked with Yorgo Lanthimos four times. Her acting as Michelle is an exact representation of what a big corporate CEO might actually be. In “Bugonia,” Stone’s attitude changes throughout the movie; she delivers a fierce performance that flips from victim to manipulator. She’s icy cold as a Big Pharma executive who’s shaved bald and slathered in “anti-alien” lotion during the kidnapping.
Throughout the beginning of the movie, we see her everyday life and come to the idea that Teddy does have a reason to kidnap this CEO, since her company doesn’t do very great things. But then the film smartly toys with your emotions. Michelle’s corporate greed feels real and vile, but Teddy’s paranoia spirals into torture that’s hard to watch.
If you ever decide to watch this movie, please watch it in theatres. The sound design of this film gives the element that keeps people intrigued. Jerskin Fendrix, the composer, has big scores that pound like a headache, amplifying the tension.
The silence that the theatre had during specific scenes in this movie was uncomfortable, but left you wanting to know more about what was going to happen next. It would go from being loud and booming to quiet or muffled talking. This muffled screaming or talking is shown in the scenes taken outside of the homes of either Teddy or Michelle. The bickering between Michelle and Teddy is something one needs to see on the big screen, as it’s loud and back and forth, packed with emotion.
“Bugonia” isn’t just peculiar, it’s essential viewing for our strange times. Lanthimos has done it again, a film that’ll linger in your brain like a conspiracy you can’t shake. Run to the theaters; it’s worth every uncomfortable second.
