Cuckoo (2024): review

Cuckoo combines body horror, mystery, and psychological unease with striking style, but it is not without weaknesses. Tilman Singer’s film has compelling images and strong performances, especially from Hunter Schafer, while its plotting and structure are less secure.

The story follows 17-year-old Gretchen, played by Schafer. After her mother’s death, she moves with her father Luis, played by Marton Csokas, his new wife Beth, played by Jessica Henwick, and their daughter Alma to a remote resort in the Bavarian Alps. It soon becomes clear that the apparent idyll is deceptive. Resort owner Herr König, played by Dan Stevens, creates unease from the outset. His controlling, almost threatening presence runs through the film. Stevens gives a wonderfully disturbing performance that repeatedly shifts between humor and horror.

Visually, the film is a pleasure. Cinematographer Paul Faltz captures the mountains as both oppressively beautiful and claustrophobically threatening. The resort becomes a prison where Gretchen increasingly feels isolated and out of place. This gives the film a compelling atmosphere, reinforced by the grainy 35mm look and its almost nostalgic quality.

Gretchen’s development is central as she struggles with grief and the resort’s unsettling dynamics. Her growing bond with her younger half-sister Alma, who does not speak, gives the film an emotional depth that contrasts with the surrounding horror. The relationship develops alongside Gretchen’s suspicion of what is happening at the resort, adding another layer of tension.

The storytelling is uneven, however. Its mixture of supernatural elements and psychological drama causes the third act to falter. The revelations about the resort can feel overexplained and insufficiently clear at the same time, which is frustrating. Tension built over much of the film weakens in the finale because the resolution is not fully satisfying.

Its themes, particularly grief and control over one’s own body, sometimes get lost, despite suggestions of a feminist subtext. Singer creates a dark, forceful atmosphere, but the chaotic plotting and unanswered questions leave confusion behind.

Cuckoo is visually impressive but narratively underdeveloped. It should appeal to some horror fans, yet it lacks the consistency and clarity needed to make a truly lasting impression. It is a bold film that ultimately falls short of its potential.