Bugonia (MA) – 118 minutes

Conspiracy theories abound in this ever-evolving internet age. Time and again people have been shown to be as mad as a cut snake.

And so it is in Bugonia. The title is derived from a mythical ancient Mediterranean belief that bees are spontaneously generated from the carcasses of dead oxen.

Teddy (Jesse Plemons) has a bee in his bonnet in more way than one.

An apiarist, who greatly admires the work ethic of the industrious insects, he lives with his seemingly brain damaged cousin, Don (Aidan Delbis).

Teddy works in parcel fulfilment.

He is convinced that the high-powered head of a pharma tech company, Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone), is an alien, intent on destroying Earth.

For some time, he has schemed to get back at her for doing wrong by his mother, Sandy (Alicia Silverstone), who has been left in a coma.

Now, with Don by his side, he kidnaps the CEO, aiming to set up a meeting with what he terms her emperor, on the night of the lunar eclipse.

Clearly very smart and tactical, time and again, her attempts to talk him down, fail.

He won’t take “no” for an answer, until matters come to a head during a surprise visit from Teddy’s former male babysitter and now local cop, Casey (Stavros Halkias).

Paranoia pervades in this satirical, absurdist, science fiction, dark comedy.

With a screenplay by Will Tracy, Bugonia is an English language remake of the 2020 South Korean film by Jang Joon-hwan, Save the Green Planet!

Direction comes from innovative and exciting filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things), who likes pushing the envelope.

Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons are always good value in movies and this is no exception. 

Both play their parts particularly well, but that doesn’t cover a narrative arc that felt laboured and long (the film runs for a smidge under two hours).

Some prudent pruning would have served the piece well.

For much of the time, what was unfolding felt like errant nonsense.

Fundamentally, I speak of the rantings of a complete nutter (think of a bloke who covers his windows with tin foil).

While I understand that was the intent, I found it hard to buy into.

Visually, the strongest imagery comes in a sequence towards the end of the movie, when the fate of the planet has been decided. That leaves an indelible imprint.

Complete with a dramatic score, Bugonia reflects a world that is on edge – teetering on the brink.

If you don’t mind the bizarre, it is one to consider.

Rated MA, it scores a 7 out of 10.