“Bugonia” follows two conspiracy-obsessed men who kidnap the CEO of a major company when they become convinced that she’s an alien intent on destroying Earth.

A Twisted Descent Into Obsession

The performances of Emma Stone (Michelle Fuller) and Jesse Plemons (Teddy) are what allow “Bugonia” to succeed. 

Stone is sharp and calculated at each turn, with delivery that carries weight in every moment. She’s asked to do a lot of heavy lifting in the dialogue department, and manages to succeed in elongated scenes of exposition. Plemons is just as excellent – though in a very different way. He brings varying layers of emotion to the screen, including desperation through his mannerisms, appearance and delivery.

The pair bounce off each other well for some of the most intense sequences of dialogue in 2025.

Beauty in the Bizarre

The direction of Yorgos Lanthimos aids in this tension. Utilizing constant close-ups, he captures every imaginable emotion on the characters’ faces. It also adds a claustrophobic feel, as the individuals seem trapped inside a twisted scenario that will never end.

“Bugonia” is a beautiful film. It captures beauty in both the stunning and atrocious, making every visceral visual feel innately human. It’s a movie that demands undivided attention from start to finish.

It’s also worth noting that “Bugonia” is surprisingly timely. It tackles ideas of obsession, echo chambers and misinformation in ways that are as absurd as they are insightful. These themes are explored through bizarre circumstances that will likely divide audiences – a true “love it or hate it” experience.

Even if you fall in the latter, “Bugonia” can be admired for its ambition… at times to a fault. The film moves in unexpected ways, repeatedly finding methods to surprise. It may seem like a generic thriller in spurts, but Lanthimos knows just when to deliver a shock.

You may be sitting in “Bugonia” wondering when the needle is going to drop. Don’t worry – it most certainly does.

The Punch That Lingers

The film reaches levels of “weird” that don’t always flow smoothly, however. Amidst these tonal shifts, “Bugonia” occasionally loses the sense of reality it works so hard to build. A few moments feel out of place, even if by design. Throwing the audience off is one thing, but the film goes a step beyond that more than once – which hinders its effectiveness in the process.

These strange quirks do make “Bugonia” laugh-out-loud funny, though. Fulfilling the term “dark comedy” to the fullest, it manages to find humor in horror. Lanthimos can locate absurd comedy in nearly anything, no matter how bleak the overarching narrative becomes.

The conclusion of “Bugonia” takes it from simply good to something far greater. It’s overly bleak, and asks the audience to reflect on their beliefs and values in the process. When people explain a “gut punch” moment – that’s the ending of “Bugonia.” Even with definitive answers given, the film still manages to leave a lingering legacy long after the credits roll. 

“Bugonia” is a bold blending of genres that’s admirably ambitious. Stone and Plemons take the movie to another level, both at the top of their game. There are missteps along the way, but they all lead to a thought-provoking film that’s hard to ignore.

Rating: 4 out of 5