Many people say there is little originality in mainstream cinema. Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos is out to prove them wrong. His films push the boundaries of what it means to be different while challenging the audience with his creative approach and unpredictability. Movies like The Favourite, Poor Things and Kinds of Kindness are critical successes, while those who watch his films come out more satisfied than the constant line-up of sequels and re-hashes. Having said that, his new film, Bugonia, is a remake of a little-known Korean film, Save the Green Planet. Yet it is still the most original and bizarre film you will see all year.

Teddy is an unassuming man who looks after bees, works at a factory for a pharmaceutical company and shares his home with his cousin, Don. Yet he is a man riddled with conspiracy theories, one of which is that the company’s CEO, Michelle, is, in fact, an alien. Determined to prove he is right, he kidnaps her, and a battle of wills begins between the captor and the victim.

Lanthimos couldn’t make a conventional film even if he tried. He wants to push the audience as far as he can, and this is no exception. Every element of his filmmaking canon is used. This is a film that is in your face from the very start to the surprising ending. He never gives you room to relax; instead, he wants you to become almost involved in what is happening on screen.

Using extreme close-ups makes you feel uncomfortable, especially when the camera is pointed at Teddy, a very greasy man with unwashed hair, dirty clothing, and pores that seem constantly open from sweat. Compared to the pristine Michelle, who is well groomed until her captors shave her head and cover her with cream to stop signals from reaching her mothership above the planet. This is not a film that will tell its story straightforwardly.

What also makes the whole thing unsettling is the use of music. With a superb score by Jerskin Fendrix, it explodes with a violet attitude, like some of the film’s more disturbing moments. If you thought the whole thing was brutal and harsh, it does have unexpected moments of dark humour to ease the sometimes more difficult moments. However, the film is unflinching and refuses to let the audience breathe. You are caught up in events, and at two hours, you never want to leave your seat for a comfort break, transfixed and longing to know what will happen.

What also helps is the cast. Lanthimos gets the most out of his actors, and he does it again here. Aidan Delbis, making his debut as Don, the cousin on the autistic spectrum, is terrific and is the one character with whom you sympathise. Caught up in Teddy’s strange plan, he struggles to cope with what is happening, and you really feel for his plight. It is a brilliant debut.

In the role of Teddy, Jesse Plemons, who has made such an impression in films like Civil War and The Power of the Dog, excels here, and he proves that he is one of the most exciting new talents around. Teddy is a complex character, and he breathes life with a grimy performance that you switch from hatred to sympathy. It’s such a divisive performance that you cannot walk away with high praise.

Finally, there is Emma Stone. Slowly becoming a muse for Lanthimos, this is the fourth time she has worked with the director, and she throws caution to the wind, giving another stunning performance and showing that she isn’t afraid to be stripped back and take risks. Here, her famous red hair is gone, and with cream smothering her whole head, she has the look of something otherworldly, while still having enough control in the character to command the screen. This is predominantly a three-hander, and they are all exceptional together.

Bugonia is a film you will leave thinking about, and you will wake up the next day still thinking. It is also one of those rare films you want to watch again. Lanthimos is becoming one of my favourite directors, and when he challenges not only audiences with his filmmaking skills, but also allows us all to be adults, then he must be praised. Rumour has it he wants to take a break. Let’s hope it’s not too long before we see another masterpiece from one of the most original directors around.

5 out of 5

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Starring: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Alicia Silverstone, J. Carmen Galindaz Barrera, Stavros Halkias, Marc T. Lewis, Vanessa Eng, Cedric Dumornay

Written by: Will Tracy and (based on the original screenplay) Jang Joon-hwan

Running Time: 118 mins

Cert: 15

Release date: 31st October 2025