2024 has been a fantastic year for horror, and although German director Tilman Singer’s newest endeavour doesn’t reach the zenith of this year’s releases, it’s still a fun, pulpy ride from start to finish. Led by Hunter Schafer and Dan Stevens, ‘Cuckoo’ manages to combine gorgeous cinematography and locations with an absolutely ridiculous plot, a mix that almost works to its full effect.
After an unexplained ending (that gets explained later, but not fully), we meet Gretchen (Hunter Schafer), a 17-year old American girl. Her mother has just passed away, leaving her no choice but to join her separated father’s new family.
Silliness and Solemnity – Not the Best Match
‘Cuckoo’ is at its best when it embraces the B-movie schtick, including acknowledging the obvious villainous nature of Mr. König. One moment has Stevens’ character utter a vague and ominous sentence, and Schafer’s Gretchen gesture vaguely in his direction as if to say This guy is clearly a bad guy, right? Mr. König is certainly the pulpiest addition to the film, with Dan Stevens’ delightfully hammed-up performance. His mannerisms, from the way he moves to the distinct way he pronounces “Gretchen”, would fit right in to a low-budget thriller from the 1980s. Stevens is clearly having plenty of fun in the role, but he doesn’t play it to the point of parody, straddling the line expertly. There are other silly moments throughout ‘Cuckoo’, but Mr. König supplies the most smiles.
The main problem with Singer’s second feature film is one of balance. The visuals and performances, especially from the supporting cast, evoke a darker and serious atmosphere. However, the script is just too ridiculous to match that darkness. ‘Cuckoo’ pivots between these two feelings throughout, never truly finding that sweet spot. It’s clear that Singer knows the plot is over-the-top, but he seems reluctant to commit to that feeling. ‘Cuckoo’ could’ve matched the tone of something like ‘Abigail‘, but instead fails to capture neither light nor darkness effectively.
Singer’s film never reaches greatness, but it’s a perfectly fine, fun watch. There are moments that thrill, moments that chill, and moments that make absolutely zero sense. With a fantastic cast and backing from prestige producer and distributor Neon, ‘Cuckoo’ is sure to find its audience and worm itself into the cult horror zeitgeist.
Cuckoo releases in theaters on August 9.
