Over twenty years ago, I tracked down this one South Korean title that sounded like a bizarre mashup of intense psychological thriller, playful comedy, and sci-fi mystery. “Save The Green Planet!” has been one of my “oh you gotta see this” films ever since, a “handshake” movie you mention in other nerds’ company to see if they have heard of it, let alone seen it, to gauge their love and lore of cinema. Writer/director Jang Joon-hwan didn’t just blend these genres together but crafted a unique and expertly made experience with which I would persistently assault people in recommending and playing for them. I was very trepidatious when it came time to see the remake, “Bugonia;” not because a remake can have any impact on the original, it’ll always be there on your shelf and ready to access no matter how many remakes, reboots, or sequels are churned out. No, I was hesitant because for many years this film had been special to me, and now it was time to see how others interpreted it. Luckily, “Bugonia” is an incredible movie from director Yorgos Lanthimos and writer Will Tracy that is brimming with familiar brilliance but its own genre-blending charm that pivots from hilarious to tragic to bizarre with the adroit agility of a premier ballerina. It’s a tremendous cinematic experience that is packed with outstanding performances and shocking moments, all while serving as a great testament to Jang Joon-hwan’s original.
Michelle (Emma Stone) is a top CEO at a major corporation, trailblazing efforts to redefine her company while doing everything possible to be a peak human—working out, eating right, and so on. Or perhaps that’s just her cover story, as Teddy (Jesse Plemons) believes, who suspects Michelle of being a secret alien—specifically an Andromedan—sent to help pacify and control Earth for their own nefarious purposes. Enlisting the help of his dimwitted cousin, Don (Aidan Delbis), Teddy kidnaps Michelle and forces her to undergo various humiliations in his pursuit of saving the world. With a manhunt underway for Michelle, Teddy and Don rush to expose the truth they believe while their captive discovers some unnerving facts about those detaining her.
Director Yorgos Lanthimos’ films have always mixed the uproarious with the appalling in fascinating ways—truly despicable actions and horrific moments often leading to an unforgettably hilarious bit. Audiences go from wide-eyed shock to tears from laughter in the span of a few minutes as Lanthimos charts some absurd experience that is also a fundamentally human one. Screenwriter Will Tracy is on that same wavelength, and the duo combine to produce a tremendously captivating movie with “Bugonia.” This isn’t cringe comedy where you are awkwardly chuckling to ease the tension but explicitly funny sequences that help offset the uncomfortably tragic and/or horrific moments. Teddy and Don are blissfully naïve and bumbling morons one second, only to turn vicious interrogators the next. None of it ever feels tonally inconsistent, but instead the experience is expertly woven in as part of a deeper pattern of human nature. Hurt people hurt people, after all, but sometimes their efforts can be hilariously buffoonish.
The entire team of “Bugonia” truly come together in perfect harmony to walk the genre tightrope together. Tracy’s script, Lanthimos’ direction, and the cast’s performances all work triumphantly together to create this fraught, yet often hilarious, film thanks to the humanity bestowed on all the characters. Stone’s Michelle could easily be nothing more than a corporate punching bag, and while a lot of her business-speak leaks through in her dealings with Teddy and Don, she is much savvier and more compassionate than at first blush. It’s an impressively complicated take on something that, in lesser hands, would just be a shrill CEO ballbuster type. Similarly, Teddy’s ravings could reduce him to simply a lunatic punchline, but much care is given—in the film and especially by Plemons’ performance—to deepen his story, enrich his character, and make him sympathetic (despite his heinous actions). The entire cast of “Bugonia” is tasked with delivering ridiculous lines and moments, but they are all done with such sincerity and complexity that it makes for an incredibly rich experience.
With “Bugonia,” Lanthimos and company have crafted a terrific film that fires on multiple genre cylinders to entertain, inspire, and provoke. Its absurdity never feels gratuitous or random, but instead a natural extension of the world they have built. Their monstrous characters are never far removed from their humanity, remaining hilarious and sympathetic without glossing over their awful actions. It’s a compassionate yet uproarious power struggle that constantly surprises by revealing new depths and heights. Obviously, being a remake of “Save The Green Planet!” means it’s not wholly unique, but Lanthimos and the rest find ways to make it truly their own and to deliver an excellent movie.
4 / 5 Stars
Directed by: Yorgos Lanthimos
Starring: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, Alicia Silverstone
