Cuckoo joins the ranks of Longlegs, Stopmotion, and Oddity as horror films that begin with strong potential but falter as they attempt to unravel their mysteries. These movies rely on intriguing concepts to carry it to success, allowing studios to create compelling trailers for movies that ultimately fail to deliver on their premise.
The story centers on Gretchen, a grieving teenager who relocates with her family to a Bavarian Alps resort following her mother’s death. They are there to assist in building a new hotel under the supervision of the enigmatic Herr König. As Gretchen takes on a job at the hotel’s front desk, she becomes entangled in a series of unsettling events. These include guests inexplicably vomiting, her mute half-sister Alma experiencing seizures triggered by a mysterious shriek, and a chilling encounter with a hooded woman while biking home—an incident that the police dismiss as a mere prank.
This latter scene, prominently showcased in the trailer, emerges as the film’s standout moment, skillfully combining eerie imagery with effective sound design to create a tense two-minute experience. However, following this gripping sequence, which occurs within the film’s first 20 minutes, director Tilman Singer tends to overindulge in his ideas. Repetitive visual motifs—such as pulsating veins, looping scenes, and showing the malevolent entity with an open mouth—quickly lose their impact, resulting in a monotonous viewing experience. Additionally, the breathtaking Alpine scenery is underutilized; blink and you might miss the fleeting glimpses of the stunning mountains that surround the hotel.
Hunter Schafer delivers a commendable performance, demonstrating strong facial expressions that convey a range of emotions. However, she struggles to convincingly depict her character’s evolution, particularly in her relationship with her sister. Although cast as a 17-year-old, Schafer appears significantly older, creating a disconnect that affects the believability of her role. Furthermore, her serious performance sharply contrasts with Dan Stevens’ flamboyant interpretation, reminiscent of his over-the-top role in Eurovision. While Stevens’ playful approach is entertaining, it ultimately clashes with the film’s tone and all the other performances.
The dialogue, especially from Gretchen’s father, is often difficult to understand, possibly due to sound issues in my theater or poor sound mixing in the film itself. The film is also cluttered with too many characters, some of whom feel redundant and could have been combined, like the receptionist and the woman who drives Gretchen. Although there’s a rare laugh-out-loud moment in the third act involving a wig, the film’s appeal dwindles once the plot is fully revealed. At this point, it drags on, feeling longer than its actual runtime. While Singer’s transition from short films to features shows promise, Cuckoo ultimately lands as a forgettable venture.