INTRODUCTION
This is a quick review of the newly released film Bugonia. Please note that this is just one of the many movies I will have watched each year, and my initial grade for this film may change over time, for better or worse. To stay up to date on my thoughts about other movies and any potential changes in my opinion on this one, follow me on Letterboxd.
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PLOT
Via Letterboxd: 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.
REVIEW
Perhaps only Ari Aster can truly challenge Yorgos Lanthimos when it comes to crafting eccentric cinema that gets audiences talking. Of course, Lanthimos has seen greater success on the awards circuit, following a string of divisive smaller films with two major Oscar contenders in 2018’s The Favourite and 2023’s Poor Things, the latter coming close to winning Best Picture and both winning lead actress prizes. Still, his awards success hasn’t dulled his taste for the eccentric, as last year’s Kinds of Kindness clearly proved.
With his latest film, Bugonia, Lanthimos delivers something that’s equal parts stoner comedy, kidnapping thriller, and auteur-level mystery. Starring his frequent collaborator Emma Stone as a powerful CEO kidnapped by two conspiracy theorists (played by Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis), the film begins as an unnerving abduction story. The two captors, particularly Plemons, as Delbis’s character is clearly being manipulated, are convinced that Stone’s executive is an alien whom they must persuade to literally “take them to their leader.” From there, the film evolves into something unmistakably Lanthimos; bizarre, unnerving, and strangely captivating. At times, it honestly felt like watching one of Ari Aster’s fever dreams of a movie.
The performances, particularly from Stone and Plemons, are easily the film’s strongest assets. Both deliver some of their finest work, and if they don’t make my personal year-end ballot, it’ll be less about their merit and more about how strong this year’s competition is. Stone perfectly balances the poise of a hardened CEO with the vulnerability of someone who knows she’s in real danger. Plemons, meanwhile, continues to prove why he’s one of the most respected actors in modern Hollywood, embodying his disturbed character with frightening precision.
Another standout element is the film’s score, which grabbed my attention immediately. It’s one of those technical aspects that will almost certainly make a strong play for a spot on my personal ballot in that category.
Where Bugonia might divide audiences is in its tone and its final fifteen or so minutes. The ending takes several sharp turns, some that clicked for me and others that made me roll my eyes. Like much of Ari Aster’s work, which this film really plays like, it’s a film that’s objectively impressive yet subjectively polarizing. It’s impeccably made, but the story didn’t fully land for me, and I can’t say I’m in a rush to rewatch it anytime soon. That said, I probably sound more negative on it than I actually am.
Ultimately, I’m landing on a very, very, very soft B- for Bugonia. There’s a lot to respect here, even if not everything connects. It falls well below Lanthimos’s two Oscars Best Picture nominated films, but it’s still far from one of my lesser favorites in his varied and eccentric filmography.
“TL;DR”
Pros: Solid performance showcases from Emma Stone and Plemmons; One of the better scores of the year; A Yorgos Lanthimos movie that plays like an Ari Aster film
Cons: A Yorgos Lanthimos movie that plays like an Ari Aster film; Ending will turn off even some who were vibing with the movie throughout
GRADING
