BUGONIA

I have a very black and white response to films by director Yorgos Lanthimos. If someone else writes the screenplay, I tend to like them, but if Lanthimos is the writer, I’m usually not a fan. Case in point, I loved ‘Poor things’ but despised ‘Kinds of kindness’. Since ‘Bugonia’ is based on the 2003 South Korean film ‘Save the Green Planet!’ in keeping with my theory, I throughly enjoyed it. Teddy (Jesse Plemons) is a paranoid beekeeper fueled by online conspiracies theories. With the help of his loyal, neurodivergent cousin Don (Aidan Delbis) they abduct Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone), a powerful pharmaceutical CEO. Teddy believes she is an alien from Andromeda sent to destroy humanity. They men hold her hostage in their basement and plan to force her to help them leave Earth before an upcoming lunar eclipse. The situation is complicated by Teddy’s personal grievances with Michelle’s company Auxolith and his growing paranoia and desperation. This movie is something to behold! Plemons and Stone both let loose and give remarkable performances. Elements of the sci-fi x dark comedy plot are politically relatable, especially in an age where misinformation is rife. Be warned though, this movie is brilliantly whack and unhinged. There will be moments where you’ll be wondering what you’re watching – you’ll laugh out loud one minute and be shocked by an act of violence in the next. I thought the ending was perfectly fitting, wrapping everything up in a satisfying way. And props to Lanthimos for his superb direction. From the very first scene, to the closing shot, he absolutely nailed it. Career bests all round for everyone involved! The preview audience clapped in the cinema when the credits rolled.