BUGONIA (2025) Exploring the Absurdity of Existence

‘Bugonia’ is a 2025 absurdist black comedy film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. It is a remake of the 2003 South Korean film ‘Save the Green Planet!’ by Jang Joon-hwan. The story follows two young men, Jesse Plemons (Teddy) and his challenged brother Don, played by Aiden Delbis. They kidnap a powerful CEO, portrayed by Emma Stone (Michelle), suspecting that she is secretly an alien intent on destroying Earth.

I was eagerly anticipating this movie, which has received rave reviews and features some of my favorite actors, including Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons. I have always been impressed with their work—even if I don’t love every film they’ve done, I truly appreciate their acting abilities. In this movie, Plemons delivers a standout performance. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the wonderful performance of Aiden Delbis. His character, portrayed mainly through actions and presence rather than dialogue, adds a unique touch to the film. When he does speak, his lines are delivered in a way that is truly impressive, even if many viewers may overlook it.

The visuals, sets, graphics, and actions in ‘Bugonia’ are nothing short of mesmerizing and beautiful. While the film moves rather slowly for the first three-quarters, this pacing builds to a surprising and shocking ending.

The movie is being released during a time when many astrologers and scientists are studying an approaching asteroid that may threaten Earth. This aspect, without giving too much away, plays a unique role in the thought process behind the script. Even though the film is based on an older story, the timing couldn’t be more perfect.

However, the film raises important questions about reality: How do we know what to believe? How can we distinguish truth from fiction, and good from evil? Teddy has conducted extensive research to convince himself of a pending alien invasion, but he and his brother come across as quirky and bizarre. As the story progresses, we are confronted with the possibility of schizophrenia or another mental illness in Teddy. He portrays his character so convincingly that we, as viewers, are challenged to determine what is real and what is not. The narrative even brings up ideas regarding aliens and their creation of the Earth, including the great flood and Noah’s Ark, which could spark discussions akin to those on the popular YouTube show ‘The Why Files’. One of the film’s provocative questions is: How far would any of us go to prevent what we perceive as evil or destruction? If we truly believed in an impending alien threat to Earth, how would we react?

The film also touches upon a theological concept among many Christians known as “The Rapture,” which suggests that Jesus will return to Earth, taking some people to Heaven while leaving others behind to face destruction and death. For those who believe in this concept, would you be willing to accept the consequences if it turned out to be true, especially if inaction led to the deaths of many?

‘Bugonia’ explores these themes of morality and conviction, despite being somewhat slow due to character development. It challenges us to question our own beliefs. As I left the theater, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the film, but the next day, I found myself thinking about it more and appreciating it even more.

Initially, I was inclined to give it a lower score after the first half, but the ending does so much to resolve questions and provoke thought that I ended up rating it much higher than I expected. After some reflection, I am giving this film a solid 9 out of 10.