Bugonia is a new film now playing in theaters, following its premiere at this year’s Venice International Film Festival. Written by Will Tracy and directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, the film stars Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, and Alicia Silverstone. The story follows two conspiracy-obsessed young men who kidnap the powerful CEO of a major corporation, convinced she’s an alien intent on destroying Earth.

I first encountered Yorgos Lanthimos’s work with The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017), which left a strong impression of his distinctive, unsettling style. Since then, I’ve found his filmography to be a mix of highs and lows — though even his weaker efforts remain fascinating in their own way. Recently, I saw one of his earlier works, Dogtooth, a film I still struggle to rate. It made me reconsider Lanthimos’s approach, as if his main goal were to make audiences uncomfortable, sometimes at the expense of deeper meaning.

With that in mind, I didn’t go into Bugonia with the highest expectations. Still, I was intrigued by the cast and the fact that Lanthimos wasn’t the screenwriter this time. To my surprise — and relief — the result was far more engaging than I anticipated.

The film’s approach was far different than I anticipated. While Emma Stone receives top billing, it’s really Jesse Plemons whom we follow most closely, through his perspective. It’s easy to see why he’s being considered for Best Actor rather than Best Supporting Actor this awards season. Just when I think Plemons can’t impress me any further, he continues to outdo himself. He has a remarkable ability to inhabit his characters in a way that makes them endlessly compelling and impossible to look away from.

Emma Stone delivers a solid performance within the film’s framework, but the script doesn’t do her many favors. Instead of creating tension around who is “right,” the narrative makes the outcome abundantly clear from the start — it feels like a lesson in scriptwriting 101. The film might have benefited from a different approach, one that lets us see both perspectives throughout, heightening the suspense and making the conclusion even more surprising.

Speaking of surprises, the film thrives on them. In my packed theater, there were audible gasps at moments that I personally found predictable — whether it was someone showing up at just the right time or saying something odd, I often felt a step ahead of the story. That said, the humor genuinely caught me off guard. It was more unpredictable than the plot itself, showcasing the kind of dark, absurdist comedy that makes Lanthimos’s involvement feel so fitting.

I was also intrigued to see Stavros Halkias in the cast. Having only seen him in the Netflix series Tires, I never imagined him in a Lanthimos film. To my surprise, he really rises to the occasion, delivering a role that feels fresh and against type. His character helps illuminate aspects of Jesse Plemons’ character, giving the audience insight into why he behaves the way he does. That said, beyond this function, his character adds little, and the story might have benefited from trimming him out — improving both pacing and budget efficiency.

With a budget of $45–55 million, Bugonia is Yorgos Lanthimos’ most expensive film to date — a surprising leap, especially when something like Poor Things cost less. Once marketing is factored in, the film would need to earn around $80 million to break even. Having made only $7 million so far, it would take a near miracle for it to reach that threshold. Presumably, the film aimed to replicate the financial success of Poor Things. In terms of the story’s ambitious third act, a higher budget might make sense, but there’s not enough here to justify the expense. Rather than going bigger and bolder, it ultimately feels restrained, even if it leaves the audience with something to ponder.

Despite its flaws, the film stuck with me long after the credits rolled — and I’ll do my best to avoid spoilers here. There’s much to unpack about how grief and desperation can drive humans to unspeakable actions, and the ending feels inevitable in that light. At one point, I even considered framing the story in terms of immigration: what if, instead of immigrants being the so-called “aliens” — a term I find distasteful — it’s the billionaires who are the true outsiders, wielding ultimate control over civilization? At the same time, the film explores the extremes we’ll pursue for a better life, even when those pursuits threaten to doom us, highlighting a bitterly ironic truth about human obsession.

Overall, Bugonia offers plenty to ponder, anchored by strong performances, particularly from Jesse Plemons. Yet the film doesn’t push as boldly as it could. The unusually high budget feels hard to justify, several plot points are predictable, and the third act is both underdeveloped and rushed. Still, it’s easy to see why many viewers are enjoying it. While it may struggle to recoup its costs, there’s a good chance it will develop a devoted cult following in the years to come.

VERDICT: 3.5/5 – Pretty Good