A broken family travels to a resort to help the owner build a new hotel. But something strange is going on, and the protagonist’s stepsister starts having seizures. Now, the protagonists must figure out what’s happening at this mysterious resort. What is that strange sound she’s hearing, and why does it knock people out?
“Cuckoo” is directed by Tilman Singer, who made Luz (2018). That was an interesting movie, though it’s not one I’d recommend to casual viewers. But it had a cool atmosphere in some scenes. With Cuckoo, he’s delivered one of the best horror movies of 2024.
If you know anything about cuckoos, you might get a hint of what’s happening in Cuckoo. Well, sort of. It doesn’t hide its secrets for long, but it builds atmosphere slowly and effectively.
There’s one scene, particularly, that’s fantastic if you love suspense and an unsettling atmosphere. The protagonist is cycling at night, and you see someone running on her right. Then the camera shifts focus to her shadow, and suddenly, you see another shadow. She turns around, and what you see is pure horror. The buildup is perfect.
The story is nuts, and the protagonist is mostly unlikable. Something happened to her mother, she hates her life, she’s pissed about her father’s new wife, and now she’s got a fragile stepsister she doesn’t care about. Naturally, she also meets a young lesbian woman, who feels so forced and laughably predictable in today’s politically correct climate. It’s enough to make you roll your eyes.
Then there’s the resort owner, played by the excellent Dan Stevens. It’s great to see him back in roles that fit him because I’ve always been a fan, and he’s phenomenal in Cuckoo. He’s so unsettling, and from the moment he appears, you just know something’s off with him.
I hate spoiling movies, so I’ll leave it there. But if you like an unsettling atmosphere, solid acting, and a bonkers story, Cuckoo is a must-watch. It’s a horror movie that sticks with you because it’s so unique and downright insane.