Yorgos Lanthimos’ "Bugonia"
A movie review by Dennis D. McDonald
Watching Emma Stone in action is always a treat, and Bugonia does not disappoint. She was great in Lanthimos’ Poor Things, but here she plays a completely different character type, a driven and cold-blooded pharmaceutical company executive who is kidnapped by conspiracy nuts who believe she is an extraterrestrial.
The bulk of the movie is devoted to her attempts to escape captivity while matching wits with the wily conspiracy nut played masterfully by Jesse Plemons.
As in Poor Things, Stone is subjected to a wide variety of physical indignities, and the physical sets and environments that surround her are both realistic and bizarre.
I’ve always enjoyed weird films and this one is a perfect example. I love it when artists enthusiastically embrace weird; in that respect, Bugonia hits the ball out of the park!
Review Copyright (c) 2026 by Dennis D. McDonald
