This year’s awards season is now in full swing, as many of the titles that premiered at various fall film festivals are now making their way to general theaters. One of the most anticipated movies in that bunch is Bugonia, the latest collaboration between director Yorgos Lanthimos and star Emma Stone. The two previously worked together on Best Picture nominees The Favourite and Poor Things (the latter of which netted Stone her second Best Actress Oscar), so cinephiles are curious to see if Bugonia can score some nominations as well. Time will tell how the film fares with awards voters, but critics seem to have enjoyed it.
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As of this writing, Bugonia is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a critics score of 90% with 156 reviews counted. This continues a 16-year trend on the aggregator; every Lanthimos film since 2009’s Dogtooth has a fresh critics score. His only rotten project was his directorial debut, Kinetta. Bugonia‘s Rotten Tomatoes score is in the same ballpark as The Favourite (93%) and Poor Things (92%).
The Critics Consensus reads, “Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons are at the top of their game in Bugonia, a bonkers entertainment that applies director Yorgos Lanthimos’ whip-smart method to modern society’s madness.”
What Critics Are Saying About Bugonia
Bugonia stars Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis as cousins Teddy and Don, two conspiracy theorists who kidnap corporate executive Michelle Fuller (Stone) because they believe she is an alien who was sent to destroy Earth. Unsurprisingly, the performances have frequently been cited as a highlight in several reviews. Much praise has been given to Plemons and Stone, both of whom could be in the running for Oscar nominations in their respective categories. Much of the film revolves around their dynamic, with the two actors matching each other in terms of intensity.
Lanthimos is a director known for his distinct style and filmmaking approach, and while Bugonia is another unique offering from him, some critics feel it’s also one of his more accessible works, which could help Bugonia find an audience as it begins its nationwide theatrical run. But longtime Lanthimos fans should not take that as a sign that anything has been watered down. Another reason why Bugonia has been praised is its sharp satirical edge, balancing the humorous with the absurd as it tells a story strikingly relevant to modern society. Based on the reviews, the material seems to be a perfect fit with Lanthimos’ sensibilities, and he didn’t compromise his unique vision to bring this unusual tale to life.
The combination of compelling performances and a captivating story means Bugonia could end the year as 2025’s most critically acclaimed sci-fi film (at least, going by Rotten Tomatoes score). Many of this year’s high-profile sci-fi films failed to leave an impression. The likes of The Electric State and War of the Worlds were widely panned. Tron: Ares came out earlier this month and bombed at the box office. As sci-fi fans wait for what should be a stacked 2026, Bugonia should be a nice reprieve. It will be interesting to see how Bugonia stacks up against titles like The Running Man and Avatar: Fire and Ash when they come out later this year.
Right now, Bugonia is not one of the perceived frontrunners in the Best Picture race (its distributor, Focus Features, is also behind the critically adored Hamnet), but it still has a good chance at securing some above-the-line nominations. Lanthimos’ films have strongly resonated with Academy members before, so even if it isn’t a threat to win the top prize, it may be able to gain some traction in the acting categories and screenplay, making this another winner for the Lanthimos/Stone duo.
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