Cuckoo

While its narrative and style feels incoherent, the interesting atmosphere, beautiful camera work, and bizarre stylistic choices does offer some genuine fun moments.

Tilman Singer's direction on the camerawork, atmosphere, and style does offer some fun in-sights with its narrative, concept, and the characters in the setting and environment. Including great sound designs and great performances from Hunter Schafer & Dan Stevens. Schafer's energy and Stevens chaotic devilish personality within his character was entertaining to observe. Including some solid dialogue moments.

The writing and concepts are interesting but unfortunately loses focus within itself and feels way too silly. There are clear tones that it's being approached as a B-movie or giallo horror approach but the movie does take itself a bit too seriously at times which makes it not understand what it wants to be at times. Including dull characters and pacing problems.

Nevertheless, it's still a decent German horror flick with some great moments but I wish it did feel more coherent.

"Cuckoo" follows teenaged Gretchen who begrudgingly moves to the German Alps where her father has been hired to design a new resort for proprietor Herr König. Once there, Gretchen takes a job running the reception area of the current (and decaying) resort lobby. After a series of odd occurrences, she finds herself being pursued by a strange cloaked woman.

I went into this film with tempered expectations, despite the fact that the trailers intrigued me, and I am happy to say that "Cuckoo" was a pleasant--albeit imperfect--surprise. Tonally and atmosphere-wise, writer/director Tilman Singer strikes gold. The Bavarian Alps locations are breathtakingly captured, and the set pieces (specifically the dusty, retro hotel lobby and bungalows scattered at the forested foot of a mountain) feel like a cross between "Twin Peaks" and Dario Argento's "Phenomena".

Script-wise, where "Cuckoo" works best is in its ability to keep the audience in a state of limbo and intrigue. The formula here is familiar: Protagonist comes to a new location; things are not as they seem. However, the parameters of utter strangeness that this story is stretched to really makes it completely unique and unlike anything I've ever seen. As it progresses, it veers into science fiction territory, and in moments reminded me of something like 1981's "Strange Behavior", a film about a teenager uncovering a strange plot in his small Midwestern town. "Cuckoo" similarly follows its own logic without reservation, and the outcome might be too much for certain tastes. As others have noted, I do think the film nearly goes off the deep end in the last act, as the plot threads established early on do not feel as though they fully coalesce.

While I did not find the film particularly scary, the strange cloaked mystery woman who serves as the chief antagonist here has some effective and bizarre appearances, and her overall getup (trench coat, boats, sunglasses) feels like something straight out of a giallo. Performances here are uniformly solid, with Hunter Schafer playing the rebellious but likable lead, and Dan Stevens as the strange resort owner. Jan Bluthardt is also great as a detective that ultimately ends up teaming up with Gretchen, and the two develop a quasi-buddy kinship. There is in general a consistent sense of humor throughout the film that most of these actors have the opportunity to tap into, and which makes the proceedings especially fun.

All in all, while I think the film could have benefitted from some tinkering in its last act, I nonetheless enjoyed "Cuckoo" for the mere fact that it is wholly original in more ways than one. The atmosphere and performances only give the film more bang for its buck, and the utterly strange places the story goes were more than enough to keep me intrigued. If you're hankering for a strange trip into the Alps, look no further. 7/10.

Few nice ideas are falling apart with really bad scenario at the end. The movie wants to be a horror, but at the end it becomes kinda bad and silly action movie. With a bad acting, non logic actions and hilarious staging.

I really live the ideas of creatures. Instead of fierys from debut picture of "Watchers", "Cuckoo" really has something new to offer.

And it evolving really good until 75% of the movie when everything starts to fall apart. Seems like screen writer did not know what to do with all of the beautiful concept he made.

Never let the movie break into different genres when you don't know what to do Mr. Screenwriter.

Saw it at Berlinale - Hunter Schafer is good and we, on a emotional level, really believe everything she is asked to do by the director. Her performance ankers this movie, there isn't much to complain about on her part. The main reason why this movie does not work is the main antagonist - from the first time we see him he comes of as strange, not in a creepy or uncanny way which this movie would have needed but like he didn't belong into this movie. The character is obviously supposed to be off-putting and mysterious with an eccentric touch but apart from the latter his performance fails to convey this. The plot gets more and more obscure with time, and it is clear a somewhat logical ending will not be possible. Which a movie does not necessarily need by the way! But it tries to string it together and that does not work, it becomes laughable at times and misses it's mark. Not to mention the irrational choices made by the other family members. Maybe the way it tries to explain itself is what ultimately breaks it. The multiple tonal shifts and pace changes as it gets closer to the credits result in losing emotional connection, but I can see how they could work for some viewers. A performance that really worked besides Schafers is her young sister. The cinematography is good. It may get you with some jump scares but if you are familiar with the genre you will see most of them coming.

My wife and I watched the German film 🇩🇪 Cuckoo (2024) in theaters last night. The story follows a young American woman who is forced to move in with her father, stepmother, and stepsister at a resort in the mountains of Germany. As she struggles to find her place in this new environment, she takes a job at the resort to pass the time while searching for her own direction. However, her new life takes a dark turn when a strange police officer starts lurking around the premises, and a mysterious woman tries to kill her at night. Her parents think she's losing her mind-but is she?

Written and directed by Tilman Singer (Luz), Cuckoo stars Hunter Schafer (Euphoria), Dan Stevens (The Guest), Márton Csókás (The Amazing Spider-Man 2), Jan Bluthardt (Luz), Jessica Henwick (Glass Onion), and Greta Fernández (The Next Skin).

This movie had so much potential. The concept is original, unique, and well set up. Hunter Schafer is a phenomenal actress (she's fantastic in Euphoria as well). She delivers a perfect performance, capturing the desperation and isolation of her character from beginning to end. The subplots involving the mother and stepsister are smartly executed, and the type of "monster" that haunts this film is both fun and unique. The twist and reveal of the "cuckoo" element are brilliant and well-written, much smarter than I anticipated. However, when it comes to the "big finale," the film becomes predictable and ultimately disappointing. The ending falls flat and feels like a bit of a letdown.

In conclusion, Cuckoo is a unique and worthwhile addition to the horror genre, but it doesn't fully reach its potential. I would score this film a 7/10.