'Bugonia' fits squarely within the Science Fiction genre, incorporating classic elements such as extraterrestrial beings, conspiracy theories, and themes of paranoia and mistrust toward powerful institutions. Typically, science fiction explores speculative concepts like aliens and advanced technologies, often challenging our understanding of reality. What makes 'Bugonia' stand out is its combination of youthful protagonists driven by conspiracy obsession and the high stakes of kidnapping a powerful CEO believed to be an alien threat. This blending of intense character motivations with societal commentary provides a more intimate, psychological twist compared to grand space operas or dystopian futures common in sci-fi. Its focus on paranoia and the threat of infiltration adds a suspenseful, thriller aspect that enriches the genre's standard motifs.
Critics' Reviews
64
From the jump, Lanthimos makes a fascinating visual decision. Whenever Teddy grills Michelle, Lanthimos captures Plemons from a low angle and Stone from a high perspective. With a bald head and wide eyes, Stone’s visage often recalls Renée Jeanne Falconetti in “The Passion of Joan of Arc.” Why use the visual language of the persecuted on a big pharma CEO? Lanthimos spends much of “Bugonia,” an unlikely adaptation of Jang Joon-hwan’s “Save the Green Planet!,” questioning who the monsters and tyrants are and what is the tangibly human and emotionally alien. His film, produced by Ari Aster, invites obvious parallels with “Eddington” as a critique of the pandemic and the aftershocks it’s still doling out. Despite the easy comparison point, Lanthimos’ film feels safer than Aster’s, which, for all its faults, took big bites and left some indelible marks.
80
Lanthimos is unafraid to bring the politics of our age to the core: Teddy has a stench of incel about him (he chemically castrates himself and his brother), spouting hatred of the elites. But the script takes care not to caricature him, suggesting a grief that has morphed into profound grievance. Cinematographer Robbie Ryan9s unsettling wide-angle lenses contrast the scuzziness of Teddy9s house with the coldness of Michelle9s corporate world, two sides of one grotty coin.
Full Cast of Bugonia
Jesse Plemons
Teddy
Emma Stone
Michelle
Crew of Bugonia
Full backstage crew list →