FILM REVIEW: IS "BUGONIA" WORTH THE BUZZ?
Hope is a uniquely human trait. A chemical balance, a wish for a better world. Yet its adversary, contempt, is also uniquely human. As class divide tears our ideologies apart, hope and contempt become blurred. We begin to question if the other party, and all their ideals, are even human at all?
Bugonia, the new film from acclaimed director Yorgos Lanthimos, follows Teddy and Don, two conspiracy theorists who attempt to save planet earth from an evil alien cabal by kidnapping a high-profile CEO they believe is involved.
Set predominately in the confines of a dingy basement, hidden from the prying eyes of U.F.O's or the laser-beams of futuristic weaponry, Bugonia is an alien invasion flick anchored by its paranoid performances. Jesse Plemons and Emma Stone, screaming, fighting, and lying their way in and out of control of their circumstances, are in utter harmony. Bugonia is a small film with high stakes, and these stakes feel very real as desperation, anxiety and anger rise and fall between our leads. As a solar eclipse nears its crest, and insults turn to injury, Plemmons and Stone throw the weight of their careers behind their performances, which are assured to earn acclaim.
After the free-for-all that was Poor Things, Lanthimos shows a lot of restraint. Bugonia is the auteurs least subversive and most palatable work to date, whilst still retaining his signature idiosyncrasies and cruel sense of humour. The Menu and Succession writer, Will Tracy, no stranger to clever insults and battles of wits, is in his comfort zone with this commendable adaption of the 2003 Korean film Save the Green Planet.
Though somewhat sluggish in its start, yet graciously breakneck for the rest of its runtime, Bugonia is a tour-de-force of craftsmanship. A focused lens, curious soundtrack, assured direction and committed performances lend themselves to this eclectic film.
Humorously heartfelt, horrifyingly intense, and altogether exceptional, Bugonia is a pointed film that wades between extremisms and wonders who is the target demographic of 'the greater good.'
