Cuckoo is a 2024 horror film directed by Tilman Singer, and the cast includes Hunter Schafer, Jan Bluthardt, Marton Csokas, Jessica Henwick, and Dan Stevens.
Gretchen (Hunter Schafer), a troubled teenage girl grieving her mother’s recent death is forced to live with her estranged father Luis (Marton Csokas), his young wife Beth (Jessica Henwick), and their daughter Alma (Mila Lieu) in a a remote village in the German Alps because of Luis’ new job.
There, she meets Herr König (Dan Stevens), and when König offers Gretchen a job as a receptionist, she takes it, hoping to save money so she can escape back to the U.S.
Working alongside Trixie (Greta Fernández), she must follow strict rules: lock up by 10 p.m. and always get a ride home from König.
Cuckoo is a bit of a bizarre movie really, just when I thought I completely understood the story, the writer and director Tilman Singer adds in some extra weird stuff, and at times, I was left wondering what’s really going on.
But that's OK, I like the weird stuff.
The film focuses on building a tense atmosphere rather than relying on any jump scares, as Gretchen tries to uncover what's happening at the resort, and while there are some answers, the third act lacks enough context to fully support the climax, and the ending feels a little a bit incomplete.
Singer's direction is impressive and stylish and the film looks great, and the makeup and effects are excellent as well, and I did enjoy the whole atmosphere surrounding the film.
Hunter Schafer really fits into her role as Gretchen perfectly too and goes through some intense scenes, where we feel her mental stress and pain,as she is forced to live with her estranged father and his new family, and her performance brings out the tension and unease Gretchen feels, both internally and in her strained relationships.
Her ability to convey the mental stress and pain through subtle expressions and body language creates a fully realized character that you can empathize with, making her journey quite compelling.
And Dan Stevens plays Herr König with a mix of charm and unsettling creepiness and both actors shine, and at first, König seems like a helpful, even comforting figure, offering Gretchen a job and providing her with a way to escape her difficult family situation.
But Stevens slowly reveals the darker, more unsettling side of his character, and it’s through this gradual shift and his ability to blend charm with a sense of discomfort is that makes it so good, making you constantly question his true intentions, whose affable exterior hides something far more dangerous, and Stevens plays that duality beautifully.
The film is definitely a bit different and quite interesting, which is a nice change from the usual horror movies (A24 horror movies aside).
The film thrives in its first and second acts, with the slow unraveling of the mystery surrounding the resort and the cryptic interactions between the characters, and there is a constant undercurrent of discomfort, an uneasiness that grows as Gretchen delves deeper into the strange happenings, all the while trying to cope with her personal grief.
But when it comes to the final act, Cuckoo seems to lose some of the thematic and narrative coherence that made the first parts of the film so intriguing, as the film reaches its climax, it shifts gears in a way that feels out of place with the rest of the story.
The mysterious tone that had been carefully crafted gives way to an ending that seems to undermine much of what was established earlier, with the build-up to the conclusion feeling disconnected from the tone and pacing that had worked so well until then, and it feels like the movie is abruptly shifting to a different direction without a clear bridge between the two.
But, Cuckoo overall is a somewhat decent movie I think, but it is a divisive film for sure and I see a lot of people being bored/confused, and while personally I thought it was decent, I do wish it was a less messy movie overall, but I still found things to appreciate about it even with some annoying flaws.
It was quite a strange and vague experience, but also interesting.
After the massive financial success of LongLegs, Neon have already announced 3 horror movies releasing early in 2025 with The Monkey, and Presence before Hell of a Summer releasing a bit later in 2025, aiming to deliver more of the same.
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