“Bugonia” Captures When a Conspiracy Goes Too Far
From left, Aidan Delbis as Don and Jesse Plemons as Teddy in “Bugonia.” (Atsushi Nishijima/Focus Features/TNS)
Rating: 4 / 5 stars
! This Review Contains Spoilers
Have you ever heard a conspiracy theory suggesting that a celebrity or politician is secretly an alien? You’ve likely heard the theories about lizard people and the aliens from Area 51.
“Bugonia,” directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, is a black comedy where two conspiracy theorists, Teddy (Jesse Plemons) and Donny (Aidan Delbis), kidnap healthcare CEO Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone) because they’re convinced that she’s an alien who wants to destroy Earth. It is a retelling of the Korean film “Save the Green Planet,” which follows a similar storyline.
Teddy obsesses over online conspiracy theories about the malevolent “Andromedan” aliens taking over the world, and is absolutely convinced that Michelle Fuller is one of them. He and his cousin Donny kidnap her outside her house, and shave her head, claiming she can contact her mothership through her hair, and slather her in antihistamine cream, another protection measure.
Teddy explains to her that in four days, during the Lunar eclipse, the Andromedan ship will come down to Earth’s atmosphere, and it’s her job to convince the emperor to spare humanity.
Naturally, Michelle tries to talk her way out, using corporate jargon as if she were negotiating a business deal. But Teddy wholeheartedly believes she is an alien.
The meat of the film involves Teddy interrogating Michelle through talk and electroshocks. At the beginning of the film, it seemed like his obsession with her stemmed solely from online conspiracy theories.
However, it is revealed in a flashback that a clinical trial for one of her company’s drugs put his mom into a coma. Michelle apologizes profusely and compensates him financially, but doesn’t do anything to help his mom.
The tone of the film shifts. It’s no longer a quirky satire of outrageous online conspiracy. It’s a strong social commentary on the pharmaceutical industry and big corporations. They pretend to genuinely care about their customers, but they don’t.
There is absolutely nothing genuine about Michelle’s character, but she pretends to be in order to mask her true intentions. To make money.
This is one of the many themes of the film. At its core, “Bugonia” is a bleak calling-out of the moral decline of humanity. Teddy wholeheartedly believes that he can save the world through Michelle. But is humanity really worth saving? Watch “Bugonia” to find out.
This movie is weird in all the right ways. Lanthimos has received backlash for unnecessary sex and violence in his past works, especially in the film “Poor Things,” where a woman with the brain of a child is shown in graphic sexual situations.
Audiences have also criticized his plotlines for being too confusing, as seen in his absurdist anthology film “Kinds of Kindness.” In comparison, “Bugonia” almost feels tame. The unsettling nature of the film comes from the subject matter, not from problematic material or confusing plot lines.
Plemons, Delbis, and Stone delivered top-notch performances. Their dedication to their roles is apparent. Stone even shaved her head in real life!
“Bugonia” is the type of film that leaves you unsettled, slightly confused, and a little bit bummed out, and yet, you immediately want to see it again.
It is loaded with black comedy, social commentary, and deep existential themes that you can’t process in just one sitting. I’m already looking forward to rewatching it when it comes out on streaming!
