‘Bunker’ Had Venice on Its Feet, Then the Critics Delivered a Reality Check on Rotten Tomatoes

Bunker arrived at the Venice Film Festival with plenty of attention already around it. The new psychological thriller from Florian Zeller brought Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem together as a married couple, while Paul Dano and Patrick Schwarzenegger added even more star power to the cast. When the film premiered on September 8, the crowd responded with a huge standing ovation that reportedly lasted around 16 minutes. But once critics had their say, the mood became much less positive.

The early reaction from Venice made Bunker look like one of the festival’s big winners. A long standing ovation can create a lot of excitement, especially when a film has major stars and an acclaimed director behind it. However, the first wave of reviews has shown that the film may have a harder road ahead. According to the review numbers cited in the original report, only 47% of 15 critics were positive about the movie at that point, while its Metacritic score was sitting at 46.

That split between the festival crowd and critics has become one of the most interesting parts of the Bunker story. The movie itself is built around a marriage that starts falling apart after one major decision. Bardem plays Miguel, a successful architect who lives in London with his wife Sofia, played by Cruz, and their two daughters. His life changes when he accepts a large job to design a private survival bunker for a wealthy technology billionaire, played by Dano.

The job sounds like a huge opportunity, but it comes with a serious moral problem. Miguel is asked to create a place where the billionaire can survive if the outside world falls apart. As Miguel becomes more involved with the project, Sofia starts wondering if her husband still believes in the same things she does. Their marriage, which has lasted 17 years, slowly becomes harder to hold together. At the same time, Sofia develops a connection with an American writer played by Schwarzenegger.

That setup gives Zeller plenty of room to explore ideas about money, privilege, relationships and the choices people make when they have more power than most. Some critics, however, feel the movie does not always turn those ideas into strong drama. The main complaint appears to be that Bunker can feel too focused on explaining its themes instead of allowing the characters and story to do the work.

The criticism does not mean the entire film has been rejected. In fact, Cruz and Bardem appear to be one of the biggest reasons some viewers and critics are still interested. Their real-life relationship gives their scenes together an unusual level of chemistry. Watching them play a couple whose relationship is slowly breaking down adds another layer to the story, especially when the emotional moments become more intense.

Both actors also bring major awards history to the project. Cruz won an Oscar for Vicky Cristina Barcelona, while Bardem won for No Country for Old Men. Zeller has his own Academy Award connection after winning Best Adapted Screenplay for The Father in 2021. That background means Bunker was always likely to receive plenty of attention during awards season.

For now, the film’s future is still difficult to predict. Sony Pictures Classics is handling its release in the United States, while Elastica is set to distribute it in Spain. Specific release dates have not yet been announced. The big question will be whether audiences agree with the enthusiastic Venice crowd or end up sharing the concerns raised by critics.

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