SHIFTER’s Kevin Bourne says Florian Zeller’s latest is “blessed by strong performances, but cursed by a weaker story” in his Bunker film review.
“Bunker is a film that is blessed by strong performances, but cursed by a weaker story.” – Kevin Bourne
When you talk about the most accomplished husband and wife actors in the history of Hollywood, you have to talk about Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz. They’re one of only a handful of married or partnered couples where both parties have won Academy awards for acting. The others are Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Nicolas Cage and Patricia Arquette, and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. That’s good company to be in. That’s why their new film Bunker was a must-see at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival.
Miguel (Javier Bardem) is a starchitect who has built a name for himself after relocating his family from Madrid to London to further his career. Sofia (Penelope Cruz) is his literary agent wife of 17 years who sacrificed her dream in support of her husband. Adding to their stress is a career defining offer from a wealthy billionaire to build a bunker, in case of global catastrophe, in order to protect himself and his ultra-wealthy friends.
Miguel must decide between causing further strain on his marriage and the opportunity of a lifetime.
Adding even more pain in their hard to deal with neighbor, played by Emmy and Golden Globe winner Stephen Graham, who insists on building a window facing Miguel and Sofia’s home, and Sofia’s hunky and emotionally available author client, played by Patrick Schwarzenegger, who seems to see and understand her.
The bunker and window are somewhat symbolic of love and openness versus fear and being closed off. There’s also an underlying message about the cost of pursuing your own ambitions at the expense of what truly matters, including the people you love.
Unfortunately, Bunker is a film that is blessed by strong performances, but cursed by a weaker story.
Cruz and Bardem have the obvious chemistry of a real-life couple. With the number of accolades between them, you would expect nothing less than a stellar performance. Graham does an excellent job portraying their eerie neighbor. Also, Chloe Conh is believable as Miguel and Sofia’s sometimes emotionally distant elder teenage daughter who would rather listen to music on her phone than engage with her father.
If you’ve ever been married or in a serious relationship, the story feels rather familiar. A longtime couple who change and grow apart, and have some tough decisions to make. The scenes centered around Cruz and Bardem are the strongest in the film. But the story goes a bit left when they face a threat to the family. This part of the story feels like it came out of nowhere and makes it feel less believable.
Also, the handling of Graham’s character at the end of the film, while well intentioned, fell a bit flat in its execution. Even the whole story around the bunker didn’t add anything to the overall story. One may even wonder why the film is called Bunker in the first place despite the symbolism to Miguel’s character.
Still, despite the flaws in the story, Bunker is far from unwatchable. Cruz and Bardem’s performances and onscreen dynamic were enough to redeem this film and make it a decent watch.
Kevin Bourne is SHIFTER’s editor-in-chief and Senior Arts & Entertainment Reporter focusing on film & TV, music, and fashion. He was named one of 340 international voters for the Golden Globe Awards and a Tomatometer-Approved Critic by Rotten Tomatoes.
Related content:
FILM REVIEW: TENZING IS SIMPLE AND HUMBLE, YET EPIC AND GRANT
