An absurdist sci-fi dark comedy from Yorgos Lanthimos
Director Yorgos Lanthimos is a Greek filmmaker known for being part of the postmodern film movement, also referred to as the Greek Weird Wave. His work is often described as absurdist dark comedies that include eccentric world-building with less grounded settings. His films are sometimes sociopolitical in nature and often explore the nature of power and its impact on the people who are vying for, using, or being exploited or influenced by it. His film style is described as including interesting cinematography, deadpan acting, and characters with stilted speech. He often uses the same actors in multiple films, and his latest movie, Bugonia, marks his fourth collaboration with Actress Emma Stone (La La Land). Bugonia is now available for purchase on 4K, Blu-ray, and Digital.
Michelle Fuller (Stone) is the CEO of a pharmaceutical company that created an experimental drug, which unfortunately left some patients comatose. Sandy Gatz, Teddy's (Plemons) mother, was one of those patients, and Teddy is convinced that Fuller is part of an alien life form sent to destroy humans. He devises a plot, with the help of his cousin Don (Newcomer Aidan Delbis), to kidnap Fuller and hold her hostage until she takes him and Don to her ship to negotiate the removal of the aliens from Earth.
Stone seems to shine in Lanthimos' films, and she is in top form here as the cool, calm, and collected CEO of a major company being held against her will. Plemons tends to equal her scene-for-scene, and Delbis holds his own with these two veteran, award-winning actors. Of course, Lanthimos brings the best out in his actors and uses interesting camera angles to make the scenes even more interesting.
The 2160p video resolution of the 4K disc is outstanding with fine details and often muted but decent color saturation. As Fuller's hair is being cut off, you can see each strand individually, and the texture of Teddy's suit is easily discernible. Every little piece in Teddy's house is sharp, and the scenes with the bees shows off every detail of their fuzzy bodies.
The Dolby Atmos Audio is also terrific, as the viewer can hear the buzzing of the bees as if they are speaking directly to that individual. The dialogue is crisp and clean while the score hums (pun intended) from all around the room. Ambient noise is placed in every speaker as well, offering a full and rich audio presentation.
Unfortunately, there is only one extra on this 4K release that runs less than 25 minutes. It is called The Birth and the Bees: The Making of 'Bugonia' and includes stars Jesse Plemons, Emma Stone, Alicia Silverstone, Director Yorgos Lanthimos, and others appearing on camera to share their thoughts on the making of the film. Lanthimos discusses his introduction to the project and how he quickly recruited Stone to work on it with him. Cast and crew discuss working with Lanthimos and each other, and of course, time is given to the visually dramatic shaving of Stone's head. A blooper reel and some discussion of the concept behind the film would have been a welcome addition.
Lanthimos' movies can be hit or miss and aren't typically made for mass audiences. While I have liked some of his previous work, I wasn't a fan of Kinds of Kindness - the one he did before Bugonia - so I was skeptical and cautious about seeing this movie. Luckily, I very much enjoyed it and thought Stone and Plemons were well cast. I especially liked the little twist at the end. Additionally, this home release offers high-quality tech specs, making it a must-own for an Lanthimos fan out there.
Grade: B+
