Prepare for a movie experience unlike any other! Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest film is a wild ride, blending sci-fi thrills with dark comedy. Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons deliver electrifying performances in this unpredictable genre mish-mash. Is she an alien, or is he just unhinged? You won’t believe where this story goes…

Yorgos Lanthimos delivers a cinematic experience that defies conventional classification, presenting one of the year’s most unpredictable science fiction thrillers. This darkly comic feature challenges audience perceptions from its opening frames, leaving viewers to grapple with complex characters and a narrative that masterfully blur the lines between reality and delusion.

Central to this unsettling tale is Jesse Plemons’ portrayal of Teddy, a character steeped in an almost gentle, yet deeply unsettling, conviction about alien presence among us. His performance, a remarkable blend of angry awkwardness and genuine belief in his mission to “save humanity,” provides a compelling anchor to the film’s disorienting premise, making him far more than a simple conspiracy theorist.

Lanthimos, renowned for his distinct brand of unnerving filmmaking, perfectly orchestrates a tonal balancing act that makes this movie a true genre-bending achievement. He weaponizes discomfort and dark humor, transforming a seemingly absurd premise into a profound exploration of paranoia and societal anxieties, creating a singularly captivating and unique vision.

While technically a remake of a 2003 South Korean black comedy, Lanthimos and screenwriter Will Tracy craft a narrative that feels more like a loose, deeply personal interpretation. They judiciously trim the original’s wilder excesses, sharpening the story to a finely honed point that resonates with a deeper, more incisive emotional impact, firmly establishing it as an undeniable Lanthimos film.

The narrative commences with Teddy’s meticulous care for his farm’s bees, survivors of colony collapse disorder, which he attributes to the pharmaceutical company run by Michelle Fuller. This environmental concern is just one facet of a broader conspiracy Teddy constructs, blaming Michelle and her company for a litany of global misfortunes, including economic collapse and personal losses, fueling his years-long quest for evidence.

His mission culminates in the kidnapping and imprisonment of Michelle, aided by his impressionable cousin Don. Teddy’s methods are bizarre, from shaving Michelle’s head to applying antihistamine cream to dull her supposed alien powers. These seemingly arbitrary actions and justifications, such as her “protruding ears” or “shorter cuticles,” maintain a playful ambiguity, leaving the audience to question the true nature of events.

Emma Stone delivers another career-defining performance, imbuing Michelle with a sinister presence that is both captivating and purely evil. Even as a captive, Stone commands every scene, projecting an intimidating aura that immediately disarms both Teddy and Don. Her remarkable collaboration with Lanthimos consistently pushes the boundaries of her acting abilities, creating a truly unforgettable character.

Despite Stone’s powerful presence, the film ultimately belongs to Plemons, who delivers perhaps his finest work to date. His portrayal is tender and restrained, yet simmering with a deep resentment that occasionally erupts into bursts of anger, solidifying his role as the compelling, if unhinged, protagonist of this black comedy film.

This thought-provoking feature, which premiered to critical acclaim at the Venice Film Festival, offers a limited engagement beginning October 24 before its nationwide theatrical release on October 31. It stands as a testament to bold, innovative cinema that challenges expectations and leaves a lasting impression on its audience.