Netflix claims this is a comedy. While Bugonia has some comedic elements, it has just as many elements of the horror, thriller, and even science fiction genres. It’s not one you can pigeonhole into a specific category.
The plot: Teddy (Jesse Plemons) is a conspiracy nut who convinces his dimwitted best friend and cousin, Don (Aiden Delbis), to help him kidnap Michelle (Emma Stone), who is the CEO of some kind of tech/pharmaceutical company. They kidnap her because they—mostly Teddy—believe Michelle is an alien. They shave Michelle’s head because that somehow prevents communication with her alien colleagues. They slather her in cream for some other alien-related reason. They try to get her to confess to her alien indiscretions and to take them up to her ship where Teddy hopes they can get the aliens to stop fucking around with Earth and humanity.
Yeah, it’s a pretty silly plot. And it does start out kinda silly—that’s why it’s listed as a comedy. Teddy seems like a loony who buys into all this alien bullshit and Don is the loyal idiot who will follow him anywhere, even if he doesn’t completely believe in what Teddy is telling him.
Despite its light-hearted beginning, Bugonia delivers some pretty tense moments as it goes on. And then all the sudden it gets gory as all hell—impressively so.
The acting is great. Emma Stone is fine, but Jesse Plemons and Aiden Delbis deliver standout performances. Delbis is so damn believable as the dimwit that I’m almost convinced that’s who he is in real life. Hell, it’s only film credit! Plemons’ Teddy is just as great, better than any Fox Mulder conspiracy insider ever featured on The X-Files.
Bugonia did lag a little in spots. Seemed to rehash material just to add screen time. And the ending isn’t as clever as the filmmakers probably thought would be. I guessed a similar ending from the very beginning. Though it was well-executed, especially that montage to close it out.
PC3’s Horror and Exploitation Movie Scale of Awesomeness!
Gore - 7
Special Effects - 6
Nudity/Sexuality - 0
Wow Factor - 5
Acting - 9
Fear Factor - 6
Story/Plot/Originality - 5
Cinematography - 7
Sound/Music - 9
Fun Factor - 3
Bugonia scores a 57 on the PHEMSA. Pretty good overall score, but I’m not sure that I’ll ever have the desire to watch it again. Nothing stood out so much that I feel like I need to investigate further. However, the soundtrack was damn good and may be worth a listen of its own.
https://shapeofcinema.substack.com/p/bugonia-2025?r=8dbojf