If you’re like me, you might have to step out of the movie theater for this.
It’s uncomfortable.
It’s chilling.
It’s challenging.
It’s “Bugonia.”
This psychological thriller produced and directed by Lian Xuan and Zhang Chun, starring the bright and award winning Emma Stone released in theaters during late October of 2025. It hasn’t shone in many theaters, and I haven’t seen any trailer edits or mention on my social media feed. In fact, I had no idea this movie really existed until a friend of mine asked me to see it, and my Friday night was free. So we drove over 20 minutes to a small — less than 20 seats — theater in Olathe.
Of course I didn’t even bother to watch the trailer, or ask what it was about. All I knew was that Emma Stone was in it. I guess that was good enough.
But, oh. My. God.
I did not expect this. Literally any of it!
But, before I get too corny and cryptic let me just explain what it’s about.
First – Emma Stone plays a powerful CEO named Michelle Fuller. Her office is bigger than most classrooms, and her clicking heels practically send waves of terror throughout her employees. The modern brutalist style building she goes to work at every day is responsible for manufacturing pharmaceuticals.
Second – Bees are a strong symbol throughout this movie, it’s what her workers are consistently compared to, specifically in how bees are overworked, put to sleep and eventually killed in rigorous cycles from the harsh chemical insecticides supplied by their keepers.
Third – Teddy and Don, two conspiracy theorists — it’s important to note Teddy works at Fuller’s company — cultivate a plan to kidnap her. Because, and get this, they believe she’s an alien. An alien! They follow her home, chase her through her backyard, put a bag over her head and toss her in the back of her own luxury car, which they speed home in.
Teddy routinely spouts intelligent nonsensical rhetoric about how aliens are identified, he’s the brains of their operation. At first I thought this was a cover for him to torture Fuller out of revenge — one of his family members was nearly killed from medical testing done by Fuller’s company. But he takes certain precautions to reveal her “true form.” Like shaving all the hair off of her head, coating her body in antihistamine cream, chaining her down to a tattered mattress and nearly electrocuting her to death (this is the point where I had to step out FYI). He wants her to admit that she’s an alien and alert her mother ship so that they can converse with as representatives of the “human resistance” and ask that all aliens leave earth. Totally chill!
This film is a remake of the Korean movie “Save the Green Planet!” It’s by far one of the most disturbing I’ve every seen, possibly ever. That doesn’t detract from the meaning rooted in it’s message however. The violence and gore was jarring and nauseating, sure, but it makes you question how and why we’re sympathetic to Fuller. Because she is being tortured in front of my eyes I feel awful. But what about the hundreds or thousands of people her company may have impacted, or killed? Why do I only sort of care about them in theory, because it feels like the right thing?
“Bugonia” is displaying the limits of humanity. Who are the winners and losers of our society? What is ruthless ambition in the face of ethics and empathy?
Fuller is completely disconnected from the rest of society in her corporate world. Her expensive pantsuits, corner office, complex reverse aging workout regimen and more are meant to be a reflection of that externally. But the dialogue between Fuller and Teddy and how their relationship progresses as their senses of urgency do display basic principles of control and how they’re enforced against reactive forces.
Do people exert control over us because we let them? Are the workers and consumers of companies like Fuller’s responsible for their expanding growth and influence. Or once a company reaches that level of growth and influence does anyone really have those options?
What makes this movie stand out are the visual and auditory motifs, pacing, plot twists and immersive acting. This is the kind of movie that needs a silent car ride home. You’ll want to say wait, what? every five seconds. If it doesn’t win every Oscar I will be confused.
Do I have the stomach to watch it again? Probably not for a while.
Do I still think everyone needs to see this? Absolutely.
Do I think you’ll ever really predict the ending? Nope.
