Review – Bugonia (2025), a thought experiment that loses focus when it counts Cinemax
Film review: Bugonia (2025)
Rating: ★★½ (2.5/5)
Bugonia is a film that constantly teeters on the edge of greatness – sharp in concept, full of talent, but ultimately undone by its own tonal indecision. Director Yorgos Lanthimos once again assembles a stellar cast, with Emma Stone, Jessie Plemons and newcomer Aidan Delbis delivering excellent performances throughout. Each actor brings a palpable sense of discomfort and ambiguity to their roles, creating a story that thrives on uncertainty.
At his best, Bugonia is a fascinating mirror held up to our current conspiracy-filled culture – a world in which truth has been fractured and even the act of seeing no longer leads to belief. The film cleverly plays with perception and manipulation, constantly shifting its moral compass so that the audience is never quite sure who is right, who is wrong, or whether those labels even matter anymore. In these moments of moral darkness, the film feels courageous, refusing to offer easy answers or make a clear distinction between heroes and villains.
The film’s commitment to ambiguity doesn’t extend to its tone, however – and that’s where it falters. Bugonia never quite decides whether it should be a cerebral psychological thriller, a biting satire or a surrealistic science fiction parable. The result is a disjointed experience that often feels like three different films fighting for dominance. The third act in particular collapses under its own ambition. What begins as forceful and provocative descends into something bordering on the absurd, trading tension for spectacle and coherence for chaos. By the time the credits roll, much of the film’s earlier allure has evaporated.
Despite it, Bugonia deserves credit for aiming high and trusting his audience enough to live in moral gray areas – something rare in modern studio filmmaking. It’s a film worth discussing, if not necessarily one worth revisiting.
Verdict: Smart, stylish and well-acted, but fatally inconsistent – a thought experiment that loses focus when it counts.
