Bugonia Review: Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone Deliver a Dark, Brilliant Sci-Fi Remake

Is Bugonia a solid remake? 

Yorgos Lanthimos teams up once again with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons to bring us Bugonia — a remake of the South Korean cult classic Save the Green Planet. As a fan of all three of these names, I was curious to see what they could bring to the table this time around.

I watched Save the Green Planet beforehand, so I knew roughly what to expect. While I found the original good for what it was, I was interested to see what Bugonia might do differently. Now that I’ve seen it in cinemas, here are my thoughts.

Plot-wise, Bugonia follows the same structure as Save the Green Planet, with one major change: the CEO the main character believes to be an alien has been gender-swapped into a woman. While this doesn’t dramatically alter the story, it does introduce a new dynamic that occasionally feels like commentary on men’s mistreatment of women — intentional or not.

The story itself remains intriguing, but I found our protagonist, a conspiracy-obsessed beekeeper, difficult to like. His motivations are understandable — he’s trying to save his mother after a failed drug trial caused by the CEO — yet his actions make him increasingly hard to root for.

I wasn’t a big fan of Eddington because of its unlikeable protagonist, and Bugonia suffers from a similar issue. However, the difference here is that Bugonia has a more engaging plot and feels more intense throughout. Writer Will Tracy does a commendable job adapting the story for English-speaking audiences, translating its tone and message effectively.

Jesse Plemons absolutely kills it here — this might be his best performance yet. He embodies this deranged, unpredictable, and unhinged character perfectly, pushing himself into territory we rarely see from him. It’s reminiscent of his Civil War performance, but different enough to stand out as something uniquely his own.

Emma Stone is also brilliant as the CEO, shining in several key moments. While I don’t think she quite reaches Plemons’ level here, it’s still another strong turn in her fourth collaboration with Lanthimos. The supporting cast is made up of lesser-known names — a move I appreciate — though none quite match the power of the two leads. However, Aidan Delbis deserves credit for his sensitive portrayal of a neurodivergent character.

Lanthimos’ direction feels like a fascinating blend of his Poor Things and Kinds of Kindness styles — surreal yet emotionally grounded. Robbie Ryan’s cinematography is once again stunning, breathing life into every frame and making each shot look like a painting.

Jerskin Fendrix’s score also elevates the tone beautifully. The film leans more dramatic than Lanthimos’ usual work, and Fendrix’s darker compositions reflect that shift. As a Green Day fan, I also loved the needle drop of “Basket Case” — it’s a moment I won’t forget anytime soon.

Bugonia stands out as another triumph for Lanthimos, thanks to its sharp writing, powerhouse performances, striking visuals, and haunting score. While I don’t love it quite as much as Poor Things — largely because that film’s humor and emotional core resonated with me more — Bugonia is a close second.

I highly recommend Bugonia to fans of Lanthimos’ work and suggest checking out Save the Green Planet for comparison.

What did you think?

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