Why Bugonia winning the 2026 best picture Oscar is perfect for the supreme anxiety of these maddening times

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Despite receiving nominations from most major awards groups, Yorgos Lanthimos’s new dark comedy faces long odds for the Best Picture Oscar. However, this underdog status is actually what makes the film stand out. Unlike the more optimistic frontrunners like One Battle After Another and Hamnet, this beautifully bleak and cynical film, Bugonia, feels surprisingly relevant – even if it’s a difficult truth for many to acknowledge.

I’ve been following this crazy case about a guy named Teddy, who’s really into conspiracy theories. He convinced his cousin, Don, to help him kidnap Michelle Fuller, the CEO of a big biomedical company. It’s a wild story, and I’m hooked to find out what happens next.

Teddy is convinced Michelle is part of an alien race trying to harm humanity, and he desperately wants to meet their leader. Will Tracy, who was nominated for his screenplay, has adapted the 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet!, streamlining the story while keeping the main surprises and removing some minor plotlines.

The film primarily centers on the intriguing psychological game between the captor and the captive, with a role reversal from the first movie. Director Tracy, along with Yorgos Lanthimos and star/producer Emma Stone, have created a sharp exploration of social class that challenges viewers to examine their own beliefs and morals.

Teddy is clearly struggling and appears to be taking a stand against powerful corporations, which the film shows have caused real harm to ordinary people. Interestingly, shortly after filming ended, the CEO of a major pharmaceutical company was murdered, and some people even celebrated this event. However, Teddy isn’t a hero motivated by good intentions; his reasons are much more self-serving and questionable.

Michelle embodies the classic “girlboss” – she’s ambitious, focused on her own success, and very articulate. However, the abuse she suffers is deeply disturbing, and the movie seems to revel in watching her expertly outmaneuver the bewildered Teddy.

Bugonia skillfully avoids becoming a predictable and uninspired satire by consistently raising the tension and developing its characters. This makes the story more complex than the simple ‘us vs. them’ narratives common in much popular political art. (Be warned: the following contains spoilers.)

Throughout the film, Michelle gradually reveals more about the Andromedan race, seemingly making it up as she goes along to calm Teddy. At the same time, we learn increasingly disturbing details about Teddy’s past. These details build up, making the film’s perspective even more confusing. By the end, both Teddy and Don are dead, and Michelle – revealed to be an alien – returns home and activates a device that instantly kills all humans on Earth. The film concludes with unsettling yet beautiful images of human bodies, all peacefully stopped during their daily lives, while the animals continue to live and flourish.

Bugonia is a relentlessly strange film that tackles themes of power and environmental disaster without offering simple answers. The visually striking cinematography, by Robbie Ryan, creates a disturbing atmosphere, blending the look of a humid Southern Gothic tale with a gritty science fiction aesthetic.

A feeling of tension and potential danger hangs over everything, even in seemingly safe places like Michelle’s tidy office. This unsettling atmosphere is perfectly matched by the powerful score from Jerskin Fendrix, which unifies the film’s events. Similar qualities are found in what’s expected to be the biggest competitor at the Oscars this year: Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film. Its popularity isn’t just due to its high quality and the feeling that Anderson is long overdue for an award, but also because of its strong, relevant political themes, starting with a dramatic scene at an immigration facility.

People seem to connect with the film because it feels both relevant to current issues and critical of them. There’s also a feeling that supporting the film is a way to take a stand against something.

No movie could truly capture such a complex reality, not even a groundbreaking film like Battle of Algiers, which briefly appears in Anderson’s work. Ultimately, One Battle After Another, despite its criticisms and strong opinions about the country’s politics, feels more like a hopeful and uplifting story. The film ends with the optimistic sound of Tom Petty’s “American Girl” as the young activist, Chase Infiniti, heads off to continue the struggle.

While “One Battle After Another” is a strong and captivating film, its reputation as a particularly relevant commentary on current anxieties might be overstated. Voters looking for a movie that truly captures the feeling of our times may find better options elsewhere.

Authors

Calum Baker

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2026-03-10 14:08