Cuckoo: Control and Chaos

Cuckoo lives up to its name.

Written and directed by Tilman Singer, Cuckoo tells the story of Gretchen (Hunter Schafer), a teenager who moves to Germany in order to live with her father and his new family. When they arrive, they meet her father’s new employer, Mr. Konig (Dan Stevens), an eccentric but enigmatic man who seems particularly fascinated with Gretchen’s young half-sister, Alma. Though the surroundings are scenic, Gretchen feels ill at ease. Then, after she begins to be plagued by strange noises in the night, Gretchen discovers that this paradise is actually just the opposite.

While the title absolutely has relevant to the story, Cuckoo is one of the more off-the-wall horror experiences of 2024. Blurring the lines between sci-fi and family drama, this is a film that veers wildly in unexpected directions. Singer weaves together multiple story points that feel entirely disconnected yet create a cohesive experience in the end. As a result, in some ways, this feels like the cinematic horror equivalent of a Salvador Dali painting in that the viewer may not always understand what’s happening but you’re also fully entranced by it.

While much of the film rests on Hunter Schafer’s shoulders, it’s Stevens who seems to be the most unhinged here. With roles in recent films like Abigail and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Stevens is on a streak of wild performances and Cuckoo fits neatly into this pattern. As the mysterious Mr. Konig, Stevens is steeped in sleaze. Each interaction with Gretchen feels both considerate and ominous, making him both unlikeable yet fascinating to watch.

It’s worth noting that this isn’t an example of a horror film that’s particularly graphic but it does do everything in its power to shake the viewer’s (metaphorical) equilibrium. Singer creates a world of order by keeping his lines clean and colours crisp. Though, without giving any spoilers, very little in this film is as it seems. Beasts shriek in the night and unseen forces work within the shadows. But the true horror of this film lies within the truths that need to be discovered along the way.

In fact, Cuckoo is ultimately a film about breaking free from control. Wrestling with her decision to live with her father and his new wife, Gretchen has lost herself within the change. Having moved to a new country, she carries bitterness towards her father and feels entirely disconnected from her half-sister, Alma. 

“Don’t call her my sister,” she growls.

Even so, as events within their new home begin to unravel, Gretchen is forced to re-examine the hurts that have been afflicted upon her. However, despite the way that she has been hurt, there’s a certain sense of responsibility for her future that must rise up within her. No, much of her story is not her fault. But she must make choices to break free and create a new future for herself and, potentially, her family. When the world seems to be crashing all around Gretchen, she finds herself forced to decide what her world will look like moving forward.

In its wildest of moments, Cuckoo clings tightly into this sense of optimism. Though the film is as bonkers as the name suggests, the film never abandons hope. In doing so, Cuckoo manages to keep itself together, becoming one of the more unique (and effective) horror films of the year thus far.

Cuckoo is available in theatres on Friday, August 9th, 2024.