Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest film Bugonia premiered at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, marking another collaboration with Emma Stone and delivering a surreal remake of the 2003 South Korean cult film Save the Green Planet! by Jang Joon-hwan.
The black comedy thriller revisits familiar Lanthimos territory with its mix of absurdity, violence, and satire, this time centered on conspiracy theories and climate change.
Emma Stone stars as Michelle Fuller, a pharmaceutical CEO accused of being an alien by Teddy, played by Jesse Plemons, and his cousin Don, portrayed by Aidan Delbis. Convinced that Michelle is part of an extraterrestrial plan to wipe out humanity, the pair kidnap her, sparking a series of tense interrogations and violent encounters.
The screenplay, written by Will Tracy (The Menu, Succession), infuses the outlandish narrative with pointed commentary on environmental collapse and human destruction of wildlife, using bee population decline as a symbolic thread.
Visually, Bugonia benefits from Robbie Ryan’s striking cinematography, with wide lenses, bold primary colors, and eccentric camera movement. Lanthimos’ stylistic trademarks are on full display, creating a heightened sense of absurd realism.
Performances drive the film, with Stone shaving her head for the role and delivering a sharp, emotionally charged portrayal of survival. Plemons is equally commanding, embodying a conspiratorial madness that feels both disturbing and relevant in the age of online radicalization.
While praised for its visuals and performances, some critics noted that Bugonia adds little new to Lanthimos’ oeuvre and stretches certain sequences too long. Still, its shocking finale ensures it leaves an impression.
Bugonia will be released in theaters on October 24, 2025, before expanding nationwide on October 31 via Focus Features.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ