By skyforbes 
Release Date: US theatrical release began Oct 24, 2025
Runtime: 118 minutes (1h 58m)
Rated: R — violence, grisly images, suicide content, language
Production Companies: Element Pictures, Focus Features, Square Peg, Fruit Tree, CJ ENM
Producers: Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone, Ari Aster
Cinematography: Robbie Ryan (VistaVision / 8-perf 35mm heavily used)
Editing: Yorgos Mavropsaridis
Music / Composer: Jerskin Fendrix
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Writer(s): Will Tracy
Starring: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, Alicia Silverstone
Director-actor duos are somewhat a dime a dozen. That list narrows drastically when you consider those who remain consistent in their collaboration and capable of producing films that are both impactful and widely recognized. The most recent example of that goes to Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone. Last year, they proved how much of a revelation they can be together within the film realm — and somehow managed to deliver one of my (and many others’) favorite films of the year. The bar was set high for Lanthimos and Stone, yet somehow, not only did they manage to reach those heights, but surpass them in such a short time.
“Bugonia” is essentially a remake, following the same story as the original South Korean film Save the Green Planet, directed by Jang Joon-hwan. The film centers on two young men, Teddy (Jesse Plemons) and his neurodivergent cousin Don (Aidan Delbis), who are conspiracy theorists. Convinced that the CEO of a pharmaceutical company, Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone), is an alien, they kidnap her.
This is where the fun begins. First off, the film is beautifully shot on VistaVision. As small as these characters are compared to the rest of the universe — as Teddy himself mentions as one of the reasons they’ll be able to get away with kidnapping — Lanthimos still manages to capture the universe in which this film takes place through the biggest and grandest lens possible. We stay grounded in minimal spaces, sure, such as Michelle’s company building and Teddy’s home, more specifically his basement. But when not confined to these smaller locations, the vastness of nature and the outdoors is explored. It’s a nice contrast to have, given the situation at hand. Once kidnapped, the environment truly becomes a factor in the psychological and physical challenges Michelle must face in order to not just escape, but survive — and Stone is the perfect actor to convey the emotional nuance Michelle would encounter in this situation.
While Stone once again proves she’s at her prime, her counterpart and the supporting cast aren’t any dead weight. Plemons delivers one of his best performances to date and plays off Stone exceptionally well. I wouldn’t say the two carry the film on their backs, as it’s layered so intricately that the story, themes, supporting cast, visuals, and everything surrounding these two powerhouse actors only add more magic to the film.
Everyone will surely be talking about our two lead performers — and rightfully so — but everything buried deeper within the significance of its themes, and its topicality quite honestly, is also fascinating to unpack. As mentioned, Stone knocks it out of the park, but this film in particular brings out shades of deception and nuance that she’s shown before, only now pushed to such an extreme to match the film’s ludicrous antics and heightened environment.
The most prominent theme this film carries is its conspiracy theorist backdrop, but also the many branches that stem from that tree — climate change (as the title hints), human relationships, helplessness, rage, and the cyclical nature of humanity. All of it circles back to Earth itself, exploring humanity at its core.
The clever dialogue is filled with conspiracy talk throughout, sure, but juxtaposed with business and corporate jargon on Michelle’s end. Michelle is pitted against two opposing forces: Teddy — relentless, willing to stop at nothing — and his cousin Don — empathetic, guilt-ridden, and following Teddy almost blindly with admiration and trust. That is, until he begins questioning his moral compass, trying to come to grips with what’s best for their situation versus what’s morally right.
And among everything already discussed, we have two other supporting characters whose roles, though minimal, leave impact. Alicia Silverstone appears as a small light at the end of what seems like a long tunnel for Teddy. Meanwhile, Stavros Halkias provides some comedic relief, but also serves as a crucial extension of Teddy’s development and past.
While much has been said about the film’s stunning visuals and cinematography, powerhouse performances, and central and peripheral themes, the most imperative storyline lies at the center of Teddy’s heart and motivations. As aforementioned, the topicality of this film feels both more relevant than ever and yet timeless. A CEO’s power within large corporate structures — in this film’s case, a pharmaceutical empire — mirrors the systems that govern our world. The comparison to bees and hive structures is clever, revealing everything that can emerge from running such systems and the effects they have on those involved, willingly or not.
In a year full of standout films, both independent and mainstream, one might think it too soon for another Lanthimos-Stone outing. Yet it’s just as effective, if not more so, following their Oscar run last year for Poor Things. Not only that, but Lanthimos takes a more grounded approach this time, deviating from his usual tonal style — and it pays off. It’s safe to say we’ll be seeing many involved in this film floating around awards season. Credit goes to Lanthimos and his crew for being able to shift from his usual eccentric, surrealist, and absurdist visuals to something more restrained, reserving those qualities for the internal emotions and actions of a character like Teddy.
Although it might deviate a bit from his usual style, Bugonia still manages to knock it out of the park, with Lanthimos adopting a more serious and grounded tone to get the most out of this remake — his actors, the story, and the bubbling themes beneath. Stone and Plemons give two career-best performances that command the screen and elevate the film past its already high expectations. The visuals offer a striking contrast between the vast, open spaces of a small town and the claustrophobic confines of a home — and an even more cluttered, dark, and decrepit basement. The dialogue is sharp, the themes and nuances leave plenty to explore, and the film carries a rewatchability factor some will never tire of. And while many of Lanthimos’s projects thrive on the absurd and surreal, this one proves it doesn’t need to rely on those elements to succeed — though when it does deploy them, it’s in small, perfectly measured doses.
Bugonia is one of my favorites of the year, crafted with such meticulous, tenured care across every department. Lanthimos remains one of the most intriguing directors working today, and to go from a larger-than-life film like Poor Things to a grounded, darkly satirical piece like Bugonia is a testament to his genius — and makes us eager to see what he’ll bring us next.