Yorgos Lanthimos, the Greek-born director, often traps his characters in unique spaces that challenge their reality. In his earlier work, Dogtooth, three siblings live in a controlled environment, cut off from the outside world. The Lobster presents a surreal dystopia where single people must find partners in 45 days or be turned into animals. In The Favourite, we see fierce power struggles among courtiers in a decaying royal court. His latest film, Bugonia, continues this theme of confinement but with a darker twist.
Bugonia is a black comedy about a pharmaceutical CEO, Michelle (Emma Stone), who gets kidnapped by a disgruntled employee, Teddy (Jesse Plemons). Inspired by the 2003 film Save the Green Planet!, it tells a story that resonates differently now in today’s world, where conspiracy theories often spiral into violence. This time, the focus is on Teddy’s warped beliefs, which he fuses with dangerous actions.
Teddy’s motivations highlight a troubling perspective on masculinity. He and his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis) plan the kidnapping out of a misguided sense of power and control. Their actions reflect the rampant discussions around incel culture and social media’s dark side, especially since many young men feel disempowered in today’s society.
In the first part of the film, audiences spend a significant amount of time in the basement, locked in with the characters. The chemistry between Stone and Plemons is intense, with moments of dark humor offering some levity. However, the narrative often circles back to the same themes. Michelle is a cold corporate leader, while Teddy clutches delusional beliefs about her being an alien who must be tortured for answers about the world.
Interestingly, this dynamic echoes sentiments often seen on platforms like Twitter, where the narrative around masculinity is frequently dissected. The anxieties of Teddy and Don reflect a growing concern that many young men feel alienated and unrecognized in today’s fast-paced society.
Lanthimos’s style can provoke discomfort, especially in scenes where Teddy tortures Michelle. Though these moments aim to critique toxic masculinity, some viewers might wonder if the director finds pleasure in displaying such violence. Is this a critique of humanity, or just a portrayal of its worst traits?
The film’s climax turns the narrative on its head, revealing a twist: Michelle is actually an extraterrestrial. This sudden shift invites debate about whether the conspiratorial thinking portrayed serves as a cautionary tale or endorses these twisted beliefs. Bugonia wraps up with a montage suggesting that humanity’s self-destruction is inevitable, linking back to real-world concerns about environmental collapse and humanity’s impact on Earth.
In the end, while Bugonia has engaging performances and thought-provoking elements, it struggles to balance its darker themes. What could have been a straightforward exploration of the characters’ psychological battles becomes muddied by grandiose ideas. The film poses important questions about society but risks losing its audience in the process.
Source link
the-oscars,comedy,aliens,conspiracy-theories,slate-plus
