Yorgos Lanthimos creates worlds of oddity, discomfort, and unease in most of his films, but Bugonia has the most to say about our world today. Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis play two extremists who kidnap the CEO of a pharmaceutical company (Emma Stone), believing her to be an alien in disguise sent to enslave humanity. Plemons and Stone are daring, unsettling, and riveting — continuing to surprise and push their characters further, even as both are returning alums of Lanthimos’ distinctive filmography and tone. Plemons’ turn is chilling, rooted in the conviction of lifelong pain, while Stone is phenomenal as a woman who’s done terrible things yet somehow holds the moral high ground. Delbis is equally convincing as a man who, beneath his darkness, possesses helplessness and strange empathy.
Lanthimos’ best traits as a filmmaker lie in his ability to find both the absurd and the profound within any situation, making each story feel large-scale through his sharp editing and fearless storytelling. He recognizes how equally unsettling and hilarious the concept can be — and in Bugonia, the two often go hand in hand. Robbie Ryan’s cinematography is unique and frequently stunning, and the tension comes from the constant anticipation of what madness will unfold next. The film refuses to let any of its characters off the hook, yet it also allows the audience to understand some of their points, sparking debate about which ones are even remotely sympathetic.
Bugonia is a film about shared delusions, born from our modern world of online radicalization, ideology-driven violence, and vast corporate corruption. Its symbolism and layered storytelling reveal deep truths about its characters and the society they inhabit. There’s a horrific yet calculated madness to it — the kind of macabre chaos that has come to define Lanthimos’ best work. It balances genres, tones, and themes with ease, leaving plenty of food for thought while allowing its stars to shine in one of the most unsettling and brilliant films of the year.
Rating: ★★★★½
Review by: Gal Balaban