It starts with a hole in the wall. Not an ATM, but an actual hole hammered through a layer of brick and concrete. However, it looks into a neighbouring garden, and the owner is displeased. But this makeshift hole is the least of the character’s issues, weaving a web of paranoia and frustration.
Marking the third film by The Father director Florian Zeller, Bunker is a psychological thriller starring Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz. They play a Spanish couple living in London whose marriage is shaken when architect Miguel (Bardem) receives a lucrative offer from a billionaire to build a bunker.
Throughout the film, Zeller challenges audiences to see past what is in front of them. Although the characters strive for privacy, the tension between what is visible and what remains concealed. Miguel’s family home has wall-to-ceiling windows that remain exposed, even at night. A hole made by intimidating neighbour Toby (Stephen Graham) becomes an unwanted vantage point. Even three pretentious paintings become an allegory of concealing a truth. Altogether, these visual cues reinforce the film’s darker themes of what can remain hidden and what cannot be ignored.
Even the inclusion of the eponymous structure is treated as a thematic device. Commissioned by a mysterious client, the project is shrouded in secrecy. Although the client is mentioned in passing, he remains unseen until two-thirds of the way through the film, when he explains to Miguel his desire for a refuge from an increasingly unpredictable world. In a barely concealed jab at the rich and powerful who can afford to build what they wish but wish to retain control, the idea sounds laughable but feels like something that wouldn’t be surprising in the future.
This egotistical tone extends to the characters as they all seek something to reaffirm their legacy. Zeller’s script drip-feeds seeds of paranoia and discord between Miguel and Sofía, which grow through their lack of mutual support. Miguel is a celebrated architect, but the bunker project appeals to his ambition and self-esteem. Sofía feels stifled in London due to the lack of opportunities to further her career as an editor. Yet Bardem and Cruz’s restrained performances struggle to convey the emotional depth of a long-term relationship, even as Miguel and Sofía argue over each other’s goals and sacrifices. Although their muted dynamic might reflect the strains of their shared history, their chemistry ultimately lacks conviction.
Despite a tense build-up, Bunker falls at the last hurdle with an ultimately predictable ending that undermines its psychological tension, leaving its deeper message buried beneath a convoluted narrative and lacklustre performances.
Bunker is being shown as part of the BFI London Film Festival 2026.
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Director: Florian Zeller
Stars: Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Stephen Graham, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Paul Dano, Mark Gatiss
Runtime: 128 minutes
Country: UK, Spain
