‘Bugonia’ Review – Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons Face Off in Absurd Thriller | Venice 2025

Yorgos Lanthimos’ Bugonia (2025) is an absurd black comedy remake of the 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet!, written and directed by Jang Joon-hwan. With his distinct eye for surrealism, Lanthimos revises plot points and characters while focusing on the same themes of deranged conspiracies and climate change seen in the original. This remake treads familiar ground, echoing the director’s recent acclaimed works. If you have become a fan of Lanthimos over the last few years, Bugonia admittedly brings little new to the table.

This marks Emma Stone‘s fourth Yorgos Lanthimos collaboration, coming right after Kinds of Kindness (2024), Poor Things (2023), and The Favourite (2018). Stone plays Michelle Fuller, the CEO of a major pharmaceutical company who finds herself the target of an insane kidnapping scheme. She is introduced as a typical, remorseless corporate boss who lives the high life. Michelle thrives on the fruits of her company’s capitalist fortune, such as owning a flashy car and a luxurious house.

An Alien Conspiracy Theory to End All Theories

Bugonia then pivots to Teddy (Jesse Plemons) and his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis), two conspiracy theorists who believe that aliens live among humans on Earth. Well, Don is a little less certain as he is dragged into his cousin’s schemes without much say. Teddy is wholly convinced that Michelle is an alien from the planet Andromeda. But his crazed mind doesn’t stop there, as he is also sure that she and her fellow aliens are intent on wiping out mankind and taking over Earth.

Thus, the cousins take action one evening as the all-powerful CEO returns home in her fancy SUV. They attempt to kidnap her, but it’s easier said than done. Michelle puts up a good fight, though she is ultimately overpowered and brought back to Teddy’s family home, where she is tied up in the basement. Teddy begins questioning Michelle about Andromeda and her plans, often resorting to violence when civil conversation fails. He is so passionate and assured that he seems to care little for the consequences of his reckless decisions, especially when it comes to someone as high-profile as Michelle.

Director Yorgos Lanthimos is Up to His Usual Tricks in Bugonia

Bugonia is an outlandish thriller that tackles serious themes, with climate change at its forefront. The screenplay, written by Will Tracy of The Menu (2022) and Succession fame, briefly explores the impact that humans have had on the planet and its wildlife. It uses bees as an example of habitat destruction, as Teddy has closely followed their population decline in the United States. Yorgos Lanthimos finds something genuine to say about these real issues, even as he juxtaposes them with dark humor, as seen in his exploration of alien controversies. Bugonia goes knee-deep into alien conspiracy theories, questioning everything about Michelle’s actions and intentions as a supposed extraterrestrial.

X-Files fans are going to love Lanthimos’ latest; it has strong shades of the iconic show, despite being far more brutal at times and heavy-handed in its narrative. The best thing about Bugonia is cinematographer Robbie Ryan’s visuals, captured on gorgeous VistaVision film. A Lanthimos regular, Ryan shoots Bugonia with an eccentric style that utilizes wide lenses, peculiar camera movement, and bold primary colors. Yes, this isn’t anything that he hasn’t already done in their previous collaborations, but he continues to impress as the audience is totally absorbed in Lanthimos’ absurdist, yet tangible world. Ryan is, without a doubt, one of the best working cinematographers today.

Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons Battle It Out

To no surprise, Emma Stone gives her all as she throws Michelle’s remaining rationality to the wind. One obvious example of her unwavering commitment to Bugonia is her choice to shave her head completely bald. Underneath the surface, though, Stone conveys cunning survival instincts, along with the necessary emotional despair and frustration, as she battles with an unhinged Jesse Plemons. She delivers the script’s sharp dialogue without ever missing a beat, keeping level-headed and witty throughout her unbelievable situation.

Jesse Plemons is the standout actor here, as he truly goes off the rails. Teddy descends into a kind of madness that feels both terrifying and recognizable in today’s era of online derangement. Yet, Yorgos Lanthimos takes some creative liberty as he pushes Teddy’s manic state to the extreme, with him resorting to various forms of torture to figure out if Michelle really is an alien. Stone and Plemmons are great; the performances, along with the cinematography, are the film’s strong points. However, in terms of its story, Bugonia falls a bit short.

Bugonia Holds Nothing Back By the End

If it weren’t for the two excellent central performances, this remake would struggle to maintain viewers’ investment throughout its entire two-hour runtime. For example, an interrogation scene between Stone and Plemmons is entertaining at first, but it’s then dragged on for a bit too long across the movie. The story picks up when the stakes are raised, yet for some, it might be too little too late when that time arrives. At its lowest, Bugonia feels like a bog-standard Yorgos Lanthimos film that he could make in his sleep. He has little to add to the original South Korean movie, beyond incorporating his visual stylistics and acting muses.

However, things take a shocking turn in typical Lanthimos fashion, launching Bugonia into utter blood-splattered chaos. This isn’t nearly enough to save Bugonia from being a somewhat middling entry in Lanthimos’ filmography, but it does leave audiences with a lasting thought. As predictable as this turn may be, it remains remarkable to witness as the story draws to a close. Certain fans will leave wanting more from Lanthimos, hoping for the esteemed Greek filmmaker to do something a little different next time, while others will lap up the director’s usual sensibilities in this remake.

Bugonia premiered at the 2025 Venice Film Festival! The movie will first hit theaters on October 24 and then expand nationwide on October 31.

Release Date: October 24, 2025.
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.
Screenplay by Will Tracy.
Based on Save the Green Planet! by Jang Joon-hwan.
Produced by Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone, Ari Aster, Lars Knudsen, Ed Guiney, & Andrew Lowe, & Miky Lee.
Executive Producers: Kahn Kwon & Jerry Kyoungboum Ko.
Main Cast: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, & Alicia Silverstone.
Cinematographer: Robbie Ryan.
Composer: Jerskin Fendrix.
Production Companies: Square Peg, CJ ENM Films & Television, Fruit Tree, & Element Pictures.
Distributor: Focus Features.
Runtime: 120 minutes.
Rated R.