Cuckoo (2024) Movie Review - Yet Another Hugely Hyped Horror
Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are checking out yet another horror movie that has been receiving a tremendous amount of hype in 2024 – Cuckoo. This has been happening so much this year. I really don’t get it. Whether it is MaXXXine, Longlegs, Exhuma or Stopmotion. It seems horror can’t just exist at the moment without fans building movies up to something they are simply not capable of being.
Cuckoo sits in a bit of a strange place when it comes to hyped up horror movies. It sort of presents itself as this kooky indie horror that has appeared out of nowhere and is bravely sticking its neck out to do things a bit different. Yet stars high profile actors like Dan Stevens and has all the trappings of a fairly high budget film.
It is one of those horror movies that will hold a particular niche of horror fans against its chest. Fans that will be devoted to it, rave about it, and claim that you aren’t a proper horror fan if you don’t enjoy it. Something which reminds me of another title from a few years back – Neon Demon. People raved about that movie and took a shit on people who disliked it. Despite it, again, being a high budget, indie style, horror with a famous cast and not a whole lot to say. Cuckoo feels like a Neon Demon for 2024.
Often Messy and Convoluted
Cuckoo follows 17 year old girl Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) as she is forced to move to Germany with her father Luis (Marton Csokas). Luis is taking on a job renovating a resort for her father’s boss Herr König (Dan Stevens). Despite the resort’s idyllic presentation. Something appears to be strange about the place and König himself. Who seems to be taking a special interest in Gretchen’s deaf sister.
It’s pretty straight forward stuff but writer, director, Tilman Singer manages to weave this narrative into something rather convoluted and confusing. Cuckoo feels pretty messy and is presented in a rather abstract manner. There is an obvious desire to reflect, in the viewer, the strangeness of the situation and the difficulty that Gretchen is facing in dealing with, and understanding, what is taking place. But the way that is accomplished often doesn’t land and frequently feels unnecessary and a bit silly.
Rewinding scenes to replay segments, dream sequences, odd use of sound and camera work. It’s interesting, if nothing else, but it really didn’t land for me. You definitely don’t want to watch this movie when tired, let’s put it that way. It’s almost Twin Peaks-esque in its presentation. But with a B-movie campiness that isn’t backed up by the usual cheesy, tongue in cheek, nature that you would expect with such approaches. Cuckoo takes itself ruthlessly seriously which feels very at odds with some of the stylings. I couldn’t help but feel, at times, like the cast, crew, and director weren’t on the same page.
Not Really a Horror
Obviously, the trailer for this movie does a nice job of presenting Cuckoo as an actual horror. And while there are a few sequences, here and there, that feel fairly fitting of the genre. It really leans far more into a number of other genres ahead of horror. In fact, the horror scenes are all spoiled by the trailer itself. Cuckoo trends far more towards being a thriller than anything else. But there are strong drama elements and even a strong focus on action. There are times, especially towards the second half, where Cuckoo feels like a Luc Besson film. It’s a weird melding of different styles.
Aesthetically, it works, for the most part. As mentioned earlier, some elements don’t land but Cuckoo stands out for some of its unique approaches. Well, unique if you are used to watching American movies, that is. The concept behind the story is interesting but there is a hell of a lot here left unexplained. I can imagine a few people will be left needing a lot more exposition. Still, if you have any knowledge on the Cuckoo bird you will probably guess what is happening fairly early on. Plot holes are a problem and when you really think about it, the antagonists motives make little sense.
Worth Mentioning
Acting is fantastic throughout. Hunter Shafer is of particular note as Gretchen. She is not an easy character to care about and not particularly likable. But Shafer manages to make her a much more relatable person by the end of the movie. Shafer also has a fantastic way with subtle comedy. Managing to perfectly interject some humour in moments when you aren’t expecting it. My only criticism would be that Shafer looks far older than 17. Something which can be very jarring, at times.
Dan Stevens is a joy to watch, as always, though I could have used more screen time from him. It is probably worth pointing out that he plays his character like a B-movie villain. Something that goes against the seriousness of the rest of the movie. Adding to the feeling that Cuckoo doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. I really thought Mila Lieu did an excellent job as Gretchen’s deaf younger sister Alma. It’s great to see so many talented young actors in horror, as of late.
There is a hell of a lot of foreshadowing in this movie. A lot of it doesn’t make sense and some of it actually does some serious damage to one of the more tense final scenes. There really needed to be a stronger focus on building suspense and sustaining it. Some of that tension is sacrificed at the alter of family drama and romance. Something which I didn’t feel like the film needed and really didn’t benefit it in any way.
Should You Watch Cuckoo?
If you are looking for something fairly quirky with some decent performances and a bit of a convoluted plot, you should probably watch Cuckoo. It feels different enough from the majority of horror that it is worth checking out. Just don’t expect to be particularly scared and you may want to take some notes to keep with the plot. This is a tough movie to rate. The hype is one thing but it just didn’t really do anything for me. I didn’t hate it but I didn’t come away from it feeling all that satisfied. I wasn’t disappointed but I certainly wasn’t impressed. In all honesty, I have more to criticise than praise but I still thought the movie was okay and fairly watchable.
Some people absolutely love it and I am already seeing the usual crowd slamming people who didn’t enjoy it. Claiming that the movie was “too challenging” for them or “not jump scare heavy” enough. This is a pathetic way to step on people to make yourself feel like a superior horror fan. Grow up! People are allowed to enjoy whatever they like without being criticised by idiots who think they are better. If you love this movie, great. If you didn’t, that’s fine too.
Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight
Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.
A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.
Disclaimer: Images, posters, and video stills used in this review are the property of their respective copyright holders. They are included here for the purposes of commentary, criticism, and review under fair use. Knockout Horror makes no claim of ownership and encourages readers to support the official release of all films discussed.
