(Life Through the Lens - Photo Illustration/MetroCreativeConnection)

“The bees, they’re dying, and that’s the way they planned it. To make us the same as the bees.”

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Humanity instinctually knows of its futility and faults; it has always been able to sense its temporary nature. Primitive cultures were no different – it was that underlying understanding that led to the grasping for godliness, the earnest and eager effort to reach eternity.

One such denial of death is the Greek idea of “bugonia.” It was a belief in ancient cultures that bees could spontaneously generate from the carcass of a dead cow. It was specifically because of death that new life would occur. If death has to happen, fine — what about transcending death?!

Science now explains that what the ancients saw were not bees magically forming from rotting flesh but hoverflies, who strongly resemble honeybees, laying their eggs in the carcass then eventually forming and flying. Even if they were off in their assessment, the aspiration remains: what if death could bring new life?

Maybe bugonia is a fallacy, but we now know of many ways that death and decay can inspire and invent newness. It is not a miracle but a certainty: The death of an organism creates the foundation for fertilization. Although the sting of death will always persist, death itself is loaded with potential, purpose and promise.

Life needs death – death needs life. The Greeks had that part right.

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Teddy (Jesse Plemons) has watched as the world crumbled under his feet; it must consequently rise under his feat! If corporations are going to pollute the Earth; if lucrative science is going to dilute quality of life; if society’s powerful are going to persecute every ounce of truth from the weak — Teddy must save Earth … even if Earth won’t understand his actions or means.

Shaping his confidence on the internet, in the dark and angry corners, Teddy has finally found his “target”: Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone) appears to be the powerful CEO of Auxolith, a pharmaceutical company, but she is actually an extraterrestrial ambassador from the Andromedan alien race. Psh, obviously. The Andromedans have systematically used Earth as their testing ground for eons, spoiling and staining,

Teddy has seen firsthand her manipulation and mistreatment of the human race. She even fits his irrefutable multi-step checklist: high hair count, narrow ankles, a slight overbite. It is as clear as day! Teddy will abduct Michelle, contain her, shave her and force her species to have a civil conversation about exiting Earth peacefully, thus saving Earth from the Andromedans and their damaging influence.

Good thing Teddy’s on the case! We were thiiiis close to annihilation!

Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos may just be my favorite director now. His 20-year-career has created so many works that I can never quite believe and can never quite get out of my brain. His movies take residence in my psyche; before long, I am seeing the world as he sees it, in all its absurdity and hilarity. He is a voice unlike any other — a true master of the craft, unequaled and unique.

“Bugonia,” admittedly, is not my favorite of his masterpieces. It doesn’t have quite the vision of others, the pointed and overwhelming tension, but it does leave the audience with much to ponder and propose. Lanthimos’s style is still the clear winner here; we are front and center to an auteur perfecting his craft! His delicacy and strength are a sight to behold.

My issue, albeit a minor one, comes with the screenplay by Will Tracy (HBO’s “Succession” and 2022’s “The Menu”). The script has immense intricacy and interest … but it is a bit heavy on intent. The metaphors are ripe, the conversations are vast, the commentary is necessary — I (mostly) enjoy what Tracy has created.

Ari Aster as producer is a dream collaboration – both he and Lanthimos are transforming the medium with unbridled creativity and fearlessness. The musical composition by Jerskin Fendrix is another beauty; the sounds are alive and vibrant, with the consistent shift toward the macabre. The cinematography by Robbie Ryan is sharp and driven; his ability to find the beauty in the broken is amazing! The editing by Yorgos Mavropsaridis is motivating and moving. The production design by James Price is understated and sparse yet enormously crucial; the contrasting creations are stunning! And that last scene … it’s a show-stopper!

A Lanthimos film may not deliver “typical” acting performances, but it always asks a monumental amount; it demands an emptying and an acceptance. Plemons is up for the task as Teddy; he is vulnerable and volatile, creating empathy for even the most scattered and tragically misled of characters. Aidan Delbis is great as Don, Teddy’s neurodivergent cousin: trusting yet human-to-the-fullest. Stone, as Michelle, continues her takeover of Hollywood; she is on a hot streak unlike any I’ve ever seen. She takes roles for their complexity and their cooperation — I am beyond inspired by her! In “Bugonia,” she reaches pitiful depths and glorious heights, a wonder to behold.

Like all Lanthimos films, it will leave some viewers uncomfortable and unsure — but, if you are seeking art, look no further! Not many movies have made me utter the words: “I could watch these dead bodies all day!”

***

REPORT CARD: “Bugonia.”

Grade: A+.

Assessment: A feverish vision of America’s fears.