Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest feature, Bugonia, wastes no time letting us know that this bold sci-fi remake will be a major departure for the acclaimed filmmaker. In place of his typical awkward characters and offbeat dialogue, Lanthimos offers an in-depth character study that kept me on the edge of my seat with its reflective themes of conspiracy, social unrest, and the self-destructive nature of the human race.

Bugonia is based on the 2003 South Korean comedy Save the Green Planet, but while the details of the plot remain largely the same, Lanthimos’ film leans heavily on its distinct visual flair.

Through dynamic tracking sH๏τs, intimate close-ups, and a bold color scheme that darkly contrasts the horrors of the story, Lanthimos effectively updates this narrative for a modern audience. Through these twisted characters, Bugonia reinterprets the original film’s subtext to chillingly reflect the darkest aspects of modern society.

At least on its surface, Bugonia is a film about two conspiracy theorists (Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis) who kidnap a wealthy CEO (Emma Stone) because they suspect she’s secretly an alien plotting to exterminate the human race. Yet beneath the comedic sheen of this ridiculous plot, Lanthimos’ latest feature offers a deeper, more thought-provoking insight into humanity’s innate desire to have somebody to blame for our own destructive behavior.

Bugonia Blends Comedy & Drama To Great Effect

Perhaps more than anything Lanthimos has previously made, Bugonia really capitalizes on the director’s ability to blend riveting, socially charged storytelling with an equally impressive sense of humor. The stakes are so high throughout — with Plemons and Delbis’ protagonists making some truly horrible decisions with severe consequences — but Lanthimos always knows how to frame the scene with a very comedic tinge.

These characters are downright evil at times, but their lack of experience and conviction makes for a hilarious contrast that I’ve truly begun to appreciate in Lanthimos’ works. There’s an almost slapstick element to the way certain scenes play out in Bugonia, whether it’s Stone’s character Michelle falling face-first in the grᴀss or Plemons’ character Teddy racing down the streets on his small bicycle.

Bugonia will make you laugh, squirm, and gasp in equal measures, but the film always feels in control of which of these emotions it wants you to feel at any particular moment. Lanthimos is a master of creating atmosphere, and Bugonia really feels like he’s at the top of his game. Where films like Kinds of Kindness sometimes felt scattered and disjointed, Bugonia is a much more confident outing.

Bugonia Features Two Outstanding Lead Performances

Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons are no strangers to praise from critics, but their work in Bugonia is admittedly some of their most compelling and engaging to date. They both fall into their roles with such ease, forging an electric onscreen chemistry that drives the entire story forward. Impressively, Stone’s performance feels completely unlike any of her previous Lanthimos collaborations.

In place of The Favorite’s dry wit or Poor Things’ childish naïveté, Stone’s commanding performance in Bugonia is a very restrained, layered one that keeps the audience at a distance and never truly lets them inside her character’s mind. This is crucial for the film’s narrative, which thrives in mystery and whose third act soars as a result.

Bugonia Feels Like A Truly Unpredictable Thriller

Despite leaning heavily into the dark comedy and offbeat humor, Bugonia never neglects the more dramatic side of its story. The film had me guessing from the very first frame to the very last, constantly pulling the rug from under my feet and revealing new dimensions to this layered narrative.

Admittedly, there are moments in the film’s second act that feel somewhat stilted, putting a spoke in the wheels of Bugonia’s otherwise breakneck pacing. Lanthimos dives headfirst into this fiercely unsettling world. As a result, the director can sometimes get ahead of himself and ᴀssume the audience is immediately hooked without offering the necessary steps to get them there.

While Teddy and Don’s ludicrous alien theory is consistently played for laughs, Lanthimos holds off until the very last moment before drawing the curtain and revealing the truth of the situation. There’s always just enough doubt for the audience to suspect that the protagonists may be correct after all, letting the viewer share in their conspiratorial delusions.

This is a very effective way of proving that we may not be so different from the characters that Bugonia is making us laugh at. Yes, they’re caricatures of the worst aspects of humanity, but the film’s cynical examination of our unique species is very self-reflective. With Bugonia, Lanthimos invites the audience to consider their own role and purpose on this planet, using this disarmingly funny story as a catalyst for a more thought-provoking commentary.