Two conspiracy-obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.
Posted: November 26, 2025
I was really looking forward to watching Bugonia after seeing the trailers and hearing all the praise, but I don’t think it lived up to the hype. I did enjoy it overall, but I was expecting something stronger. Honestly, I probably would have liked it more if I went in knowing nothing at all. I’m not sure why some people are calling it brilliant or the best movie of the year. Critics say that way too often, and it always feels like a letdown.
The film focuses on Teddy, a conspiracy theorist played by Jesse Plemons, who’s convinced that a corporate CEO named Michelle (Emma Stone) is actually an alien. He and his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis) decide to kidnap her so she can contact the mothership and arrange a meeting with the alien emperor, hoping to negotiate their species’ departure from Earth. All of this has to happen during an upcoming lunar eclipse.
Since I don’t like giving away spoilers, especially for new releases, I won’t go into what happens next. I will say that I wasn’t surprised by the ending. I kind of expected it. Considering the film is labeled as sci-fi, if it hadn’t ended the way it did, I’m not sure it would even qualify as one.
With that said, I didn’t find it particularly funny either. There are a few humorous moments, but it’s definitely not The Hangover style of comedy. It’s much more dark humor, especially with Teddy coming across as an unhinged conspiracy theorist with obvious issues. His cousin Don doesn’t add much comedic relief either, as he’s portrayed as slow and easily influenced.
On a positive note, the performances from Jesse Plemons and Emma Stone are fantastic. They completely own their roles, which makes the story more believable. Yorgos Lanthimos does a solid job directing, but the ending feels rushed and a little corny. The last 15 to 20 minutes are easily the most engaging part of the film. I can understand why some viewers might find the first hour slow or even boring since it’s mostly dialogue, but that buildup is necessary. Without it, Teddy’s chaos wouldn’t land the same way.
Overall, I enjoyed Bugonia, but I was expecting something better. If you want the best viewing experience, it’s probably smarter to go in blind. I’ve seen people talking about all the twists and turns the movie offers, but there’s really only one, so I’m not sure what the hell they’re referring to. My advice: don’t take the magazine critics too seriously as they tend to exaggerate and hype things up. Bugonia is a good movie, just not as great as it was made out to be. Watch it and decide for yourself though as I will definitely approve it.
Overall Verdict: It was a good movie and totally worth a watch, but you'll probably enjoy it better if you know nothing about it.
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