Cuckoo (2024)

​“Cuckoo” stars Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwick, Jan Bluthardt, and Marton Csokas.  Released on August 9, 2024, the film has a teenager confronting strange occurrences involving her father's boss.

The film was written and directed by Tilman Singer, who also directed "Luz" and the short films "The Events at Mr. Yamamoto's Alpine Residence" and "El Fin Del Mundo".  The summer of horrors has plenty of bright spots worth remembering, mainly the ones from smaller distributors like IFC Films and Neon.  In the latter's case, its recent horror thriller, "Longlegs", was its greatest success this year as it continues to dominate the box office amid the much bigger summer blockbusters.  Considering its uniquely compelling approach to the concept compared to other modern horror movies, I would consider it a win in my book.  This weekend, Neon hoped to go two for two regarding the genre with another bonkers thriller featuring a lesser-known actor as the main lead.  From the looks of this movie, the marketing made it seem like it might have more to do with its freaky concept, but does it result in a fun and scary experience?  Let's find out.

The story centers on Gretchen (Schafer), a teenager grieving over the death of her mother.  She moves to a resort town in the Bavarian Alps with her father, Luis (Csokas), stepmother Beth (Henwick), and mute half-sister Alma (Mila Lieu) to start their new lives.  Gretchen and her family are also tasked by Luis's enigmatic boss, Herr König (Stevens), with getting the new hotel built.  Soon after their arrival, Gretchen begins to experience unusual circumstances surrounding the hotel, including a mysterious hooded woman (Kalin Morrow) and Alma's random seizures.  With the help of a detective named Henry (Bluthardt), Gretchen attempts to solve this estranged phenomenon, leading her to discover a sinister secret from König.  

Like my experience with "Longlegs", the marketing for "Cuckoo" left me with discomfort in the best way, hence my interest in it.  Both of these movies have plenty in common, in which they're distributed by Neon and provided several instances of "WTF" moments in their trailers.  "Longlegs" didn't quite terrify me, but I would consider it one of the most unsettling and well-made horror thrillers I've seen this year.  From the marketing alone, "Cuckoo" seemed to have the opportunity to copy that movie's success regarding its nightmarish aesthetics and messed-up characters.  Plus, I watched a few enjoyable movies from Neon, so I was expecting good things from the distribution underdog's latest outing.  After experiencing this deranged experience, I would say it's certainly an experience, albeit one that won't stick with me compared to "Longlegs".

"Cuckoo" is another horror movie that captures the audience's interest with its marketing, showcasing its wildly bizarre frights through its editing, but its final cut may leave them divided.  That's not to say it usually winds up being terrible, as there have been other examples that wind up being decent or even exceptional compared to the marketing.  It's a matter of people's expectations of a film delivering what the marketing suggested.  The trailer for "Cuckoo" promised a twisted and bizarrely horrific experience that'll frighten us with excitement.  While the "twisted" and "bizarre" parts were present, the rest of the film didn't quite have the lasting impact it was intended to achieve regarding its concept and scares.  However, it's hard to ignore the craft in its tension and creepiness that rewards people who are patient enough to continue watching.

Tilman Singer is another filmmaker who understands the elements of horror.  It's not just about the cheap jump scares, violence, and low-key CGI monsters or ghouls.  In my eyes, the true key to horror is the atmospheric dread and psychological terror accompanying the fear of the unusual.  Singer provided a presentation packed with an old-school, atmospheric pulp that shines in its B-movie-like cinematography, even though it's far too serious to earn that title.  However, what Singer accomplished the most was how he envisioned sound mixing, editing, and deranged nature to deliver the discomfort and terror of the scenario.  The result was a pleasantly warped treat carried by its unnerving and serenely grim aesthetics.  Unfortunately, as the film progressed, it struggled to maintain that chaotic momentum in its insane concept due to Singer's hit-and-miss screenplay.

"Cuckoo" had a screenplay that doesn't neglect its characters like they're one-dimensional victims, unlike most modern horror movies.  Instead, it attempted to make the audiences care about them amid its unearthly situation with suitable results.  Along with its horrific reflection of the reproductive system, the film also explored its theme of grief, with Gretchen reeling over her mother's death while bonding with her half-sister.  It certainly had enough interest in these elements to make the protagonist worth caring for, but regarding the emotional impact and haunting storytelling, it's nothing worth getting too crazy for.  I thought the relationship between Gretchen and Alma could've been explored more, and a few deranged moments were a bit tame.  Other than that, the script was fine enough to forgive its faulty execution.

The reason for the characters being engaging is the cast themselves.  They provided enough surrealism and nuance in their performances to enhance the film's discomforting atmosphere.  Before "Cuckoo", my only exposure to Hunter Schafer was from the "Hunger Games" prequel last year, where she played Tigris Snow.  From what I could remember, I thought Schafer was good enough for me to see where her career goes outside her role in "Euphoria".  This leads me to "Cuckoo", where Schafer takes on the main lead instead of her supporting roles.  The result is another impressive showcase for the young actress, giving her the push she needs to achieve cinematic stardom.  Schafer's performance aptly captured the depth of Gretchen's grieving yet strong-willed personality.  She also skillfully portrayed some emotional moments, highlighting her exceptional talents.  I was also really impressed with Dan Stevens, who's now three for three in providing charming and twisted performances this year.  Stevens' portrayal of König is another delightfully strange treat that catapulted the film's sadistic concept.  Marton Csokas and Jan Bluthardt were also decent in their performances as Luis and Henry, respectively.

Overall, "Cuckoo" is surreally odd enough to earn its title but lacks the oomph in its insanity to push the boundaries of its unhinged nature.  Undoubtedly, it's another horror movie whose old-school presentation, tension, and atmospheric style trumps the cheap jump scares or lack thereof, resulting in a well-crafted nightmare straight out of a "Twilight Zone" episode.  However, when it comes to the lasting impact of its scares and outlandish concept, "Cuckoo" is a surprisingly tame experience that falters in committing to more to its madcap horror vibes.  Schafer and Stevens were top-notch in their performances, and Tilman Singer's direction effectively displays its pulpy and nightmarish atmosphere through its tension and cinematography.  Those elements were enough to overshadow some of its shortcomings, like its hit-and-miss screenplay and tame horror sequences.  If you like indie horror, including those distributed by Neon, you'll likely enjoy this bizarrely horrific treat.

C+