“Bugonia”: A Review

Grade: D+

Bugonia (2025) is a hell of a ride. That’s the “+” in the D+ grade above. The rest is Hollywood schlock and nonsense that delivers no savory ending.

It is predictable in spots and the ending is completely poorly thought out. What saves the film is its keen diction and cinematic rendering. The performances by Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons also save the picture from being a total failure.

Their nuance and dedication to the craft of this anti-American, anti-man, anti-life for humans film shows that director Yorgos Lanthimos has strayed away from the brilliance of his previous offerings.

The sheer cynicism and nihilism inherent in this film are oozing like the honey from the hive bodies depicted throughout the over two hours.

This is supposed to be a black comedy but little is funny here, even in a dark sense. The entirety of the film is worse than its parts. Again, the dialogue is spot on and shows the inner workings of the characters motives and aspirations.

The surprise ending is not a surprise at all. The representation of a strong female leader as a chief executive officer (CEO) of a major corporation is just a ruse for the audience to fight over who they want to win in the end.

Of all the twists and turns and plotholes and expected actions, the score is absolutely wondrous and powerful. But few things stand out other than the gore and the lopsided, and alternately goofy and horrific ending.

Miss Stone might want to find another director to be a muse to after this flick. Her performance ascends while Lathimos descends. While Plemons creates yet another scary, soft spoken character, the rest of the cast seems to be out of touch with what is going on here.

If you take this film seriously, you lose sight of the slur hurled at mankind. If you view it as a comedy, you might want to reconsider what comedy actually means.

With the packaging of the film, the best part might be the typeface Churchwood Roundsquare. It’s such a provocative font. Also, the legend of the name Bugonia is rooted in ancient lore where people felt that bees automatically emerged from dead cows.

The real stars of the film are the honeybees.

Since Lathimos wants to keep his mind trained on the goriness, he misses the mark on actually developing the story. Things get fuzzy and then supremely weird.

This picture is not for those with weak stomachs, either. Some of the scenes are downright disgusting. But there’s a good enough pacing to keep the viewer intrigued. That could be another saving grace from keeping this tale from being a total stinker.

It brings about an intensity and a fury that powers the cast and crew to develop the proceedings.

If there had to be a word to sum up the entire movie it would have to be like the 2022 film NOPE (Not of Planet Earth) made by Jordan Peele.

If it is possible, there should be a fire burning in Mr. Lanthimos’ soul to make a better picture than this. He set out to make something ugly, and tragic, and sneering. He succeeded. With all of his talents and his abilities, he barely recovers from this mess.

Mr. Plemons and Miss Stone deliver on the process of a rather smart script, though Swiss cheese script. The two-time Academy Award winner Miss Stone should be lauded and applauded for even taking on this filth. She wanted to stretch herself knowing that Mr. Lathimos would carry her through hot and torrid winds. Sadly, he could lift her up high enough and she got stuck in the honey.

Objective Observations:

• The bee talk is similar to the discussion in the Spike Jonze directed Adaptation (2002).
• There’s no way this movie can survive its own selflessness and irrationality.