PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Cuckoo was probably my most hyped major horror release this year. The only thing I think can compete was the Oz Perkins’ directed Longlegs. With Hunter Schafer and consistently gold character actor Dan Stevens (The Guest) at the forefront and directed by Tilman Singer (Luz – read our interview with him HERE) along with a mysterious concept, I was so excited. I love when I can’t actually predict the majority of a mystery or horror film based off a singular trailer. Thankfully, Cuckoo was a success on that front; I was consistently gripped in a state of anticipation until the finale. I had ideas for what the film would be about, concerns that it may be exploitative of the fact actress Hunter Schafer (Euphoria) is transgender; especially when early buzzlines in trailers mention body horror, but thankfully all my concerns were off base. Her gender identity has no impact on the film or the character, and I feel that was the most respectful way to approach that.
Synopsis for Cuckoo: Seventeen-year-old Gretchen reluctantly leaves America to live with her father at a resort in the German Alps. Plagued by strange noises and bloody visions, she soon discovers a shocking secret that concerns her own family.
Remarkably, I feel at times Paul Faltz’s camerawork does more for the storytelling than the script. Gretchen (Schafer) is visually depicted as an outsider in her own family, visually setting up the elements relating to the titular Cuckoo. There’s often a wall or window framing her as separate from her family members and people she interacts with. Even her part time work for the hotel is behind a service desk. Her alienation from the place that ought to provide her safety only adds to the tension building around her, not helped by her just about to turn 18 and her eagerness for independence.
Cuckoos are usually just associated with madness due to slang, but the birds are far more insidious than most would assume. They are essentially colonialism in the animal kingdom – a terrifying prospect. How much of that social tendency is innate and how much is learned? Cuckoo, both the film and the real-life bird, prove there’s debate for both.
Without spoiling the major reveal, the film finds its own unique perspective but does not seem to commit to where it wants to take that. It’s no secret from watching the trailer that there is something up with the overly friendly König played by Dan Stevens. However, once we get the reveal, it still feels like there is something missing explaining his motives. I myself was left with the thought, “Okay, so why does he want [redacted]? I understand that he does, but why?”
Thankfully both Stevens and Schafer are rolling on through with very solid performances, but without that integral “why?”, the film felt like it was missing one little last piece. It’s frustratingly close to being a modern classic but doesn’t quite reach.
There are several standout moments and shots that will stick with me from the film, especially the bike and Lover’s Nest sequences, and I think that again, the visual elements are what will linger in your brain long afterwards like a spider lying in wait. Go see the film if you are interested in the leads or the haunting imagery, you will find it worth the trip to the theater!
Cuckoo just played the 2024 Fantasia Film Fest in Canada, and hits US theaters August 9, 2024.
3.5 out of 5 stars
