Cuckoo – Wickedly-Entertaining Horror (Early Review)

Cuckoo follows Gretchen (Schafer), a 17-year-old girl who reluctantly leaves her American home to live with her father Luis (Martin Csokas) and his new family, including her new stepmom Beth (Henwick) and her mute half-sister Alma (Mila Lieu), who have just moved into a resort in the German Alps. When they arrive at their new residence, they are greeted by her Mr. König (Stevens), Luis’ new boss and and someone who takes an inexplicable interest in Alma. Gretchen, plagued by strange noises and bloody visions, soon realizes that things at this resort aren’t quite as they seem. The film is a wild ride and yet another solid horror feature from Neon, following the critically successful Longlegs.

When it comes to Cuckoo, it is the kind of horror film that is best going into knowing as little as possible therefore we will try to keep the rest of the review as vague as possible. Above all else, it is an unpredictable, unnerving, and wickedly entertaining thriller with a pitch black sense of humour, despite the fact that it doesn’t fully come together or entirely stick the landing. Writer/director Tillman Singer does a terrific job behind the camera, announcing himself as such a unique new voice in horror. He shows an adept hand, creating slowing building tension and suspense throughout, especially so during the film’s most intense sequences. Establishing a unnerving atmosphere from the get-go, Singer is one of the few modern filmmakers who knows how to effectively utilize and pull off jump scares. Some of its best scares are absolutely bone-chilling, established by the film’s unforgettable sound design that is both freaky and unsettling. Meanwhile, its setting is absolutely perfect and one that should be used more often in horror films.

Schafer, in her first feature lead role, kills it, proving herself as a perfect fit for horror. Audiences will instantly find themselves invested in Gretchen because of her current circumstances. That connection only increases as the film progresses and becomes increasingly weird and scary. But it shouldn’t be any surprise that Stevens once again steals the show in another 2024 release, delivering the best performance in the film. Though Mr. König is such a kooky and over-the-top character, he just nails the campiness the role requires, while giving him a pretty menacing demeanor. Hopefully, 2024 finally gets audiences to notice Dan Stevens more because he is long overdue, and he’s already having one hell of a year between this, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and Abigail. In terms of the rest of the cast, none are given much to do especially Henwick, who is completely wasted in what was largely a throwaway role.

While the film does come close to reaching greatness, it ultimately falls short. Without getting into anything too specific, what mainly holds it back was its writing, which was frankly all over the place. That being said, it’s hard not to appreciate the bold and unpredictable directions it goes, it’d be a lie to say they all completely worked or are fully explained, making certain aspects frustrating in retrospect. The third act may be exciting, however, it also ends rather abruptly and leaves more things unanswered than one might expect or hope for. Also, the tone is a little all over the place, especially the longer it goes on but thankfully, it doesn’t drag or become overly noticeable.

In the end, Cuckoo is still more than worth seeing, especially for horror fans. While the film may not quite stick the landing, it is a fun and scary ride. We can’t stress enough that for those who already sold on this or have expressed any interest, to not watch any of the trailers. Though they don’t necessarily reveal much about the plot, they feature the kind of moments that are best experienced in a movie theater with a crowd.

still courtesy of Elevation Pictures

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Connor Carey

www.connorsmoviereviews.com/