Bugonia — Montclair Film Festival Review
Source: Focus Features
Remaking a cult classic is always a gamble, but Yorgos Lanthimos’ Bugonia proves it can be done with reverence and creativity. Instead of making a carbon copy of Jang Joon-hwan’s 2003 film Save the Green Planet!, screenwriter Will Tracy delivers a thoughtful and imaginative reinterpretation. The film honors the spirit of the original while carving out its own identity. Bugonia will likely satisfy both fans of the original film and moviegoers encountering this wild story for the very first time.
Like Save the Green Planet!, Bugonia combines elements of science fiction, comedy, crime, and horror in a way that feels playful yet unsettling. It tells the tale of Teddy Gatz (Jesse Plemons), a conspiracy theorist and beekeeper. Teddy is convinced Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone), the CEO of the pharmaceutical company he works for, is an alien. Believing he must save the planet, he hatches a plan to abduct her with the help of his cousin, Don (Aidan Delbis). One of the most noticeable changes in this version is the decision to make the CEO character a woman. However, this never feels like a gimmick. Instead, it demonstrates Tracy’s determination to preserve the bones of the original story while crafting distinct, memorable characters of his own.
Source: Focus Features
Teddy is a marvelously multifaceted character, and Tracy approaches him with empathy. It would be easy to depict a conspiracy theorist as delusional, but the writing and Plemons’ performance highlight his intelligence and meticulous research. More importantly, Teddy is someone who’s been repeatedly failed by the system. His paranoia isn’t just an eccentric quirk; it reflects broader societal issues, sitting at the intersection where institutional distrust meets genuine systemic failures. Plemons embodies the character with precision, shifting seamlessly between obsession, vulnerable sadness, and pent-up frustration.
Plemons and Stone have convincing chemistry. Their conversations are tense and laced with understated humor. The subtle humor of the dialogue balances out the more absurd humor of the film’s premise. Stone portrays Michelle with calm charisma. She effectively captures the intelligence and strategic thinking of someone in her position. She’s clever and constantly analyzing and looking for ways to negotiate or outmaneuver her captor. The push-and-pull dynamic between these characters turns the film into a layered character study that’s rich with moral ambiguity and moments of unexpected understanding.
Source: Focus Features
Even though the script wasn’t written with Lanthimos in mind, his signature absurd style is the perfect fit for this story. His precise framing helps establish a world that feels slightly askew. Flashbacks are shown in high-contrast black and white and introduced with a harsh, jarring sound that almost feels like a jump scare. It’s an effective way to keep viewers on their toes stylistically, which is fitting because the film also keeps viewers on their toes narratively. Bugonia already has plenty of shocking moments, but it also deviates from the original story in surprising ways.
The production design is crucial. The juxtaposition of sterile corporate offices and Teddy’s cluttered basement highlights class differences and the clash between systems and individuals. One of the most impressive aspects of the film is the way it tackles modern anxieties around misinformation and corporate mistrust without feeling preachy or condescending. It explores how paranoia can both distort and reveal uncomfortable truths.
Will Tracy at the Montclair Film Festival
Yorgos Lanthimos manages to honor Save the Green Planet! while creating something that stands entirely on its own. Bugonia is funny, daring, and deeply unnerving, driven by sharp writing, intricate direction, stellar production design, and outstanding performances. It’s a remake that doesn’t just reimagine its source material; it expands on it and ensures it feels like a relevant reflection of timely societal issues, resulting in one of Lanthimos’ most bizarre and thought-provoking films to date.
Bugonia screened on October 18, 2025, at the Montclair Film Festival, where screenwriter Will Tracy received the 2025 Screenwriter Award.
