Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Cuckoo Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 26, 2024

In 2018, writer/director Tilman Singer received the career boost of a lifetime when his thesis film, “Luz,” was picked up for distribution. It was a small- scale brain-bleeder with some effective scenes, but it clearly lacked dramatic meat, becoming more appreciable for its style and mood. Singer returns with “Cuckoo,” and he’s a little more prepared to deliver a full story for viewers, at least ones willing to follow along with the overall strangeness and initial stillness of the endeavor. Much like “Luz,” “Cuckoo” is a bit out there and in no hurry to get where it’s going, but the destination is intriguing, and Tillman does well with atmosphere, providing a few artfully crafted freak-out sequences. He also has a cast invested in exploring physical and mental distress, with actress Hunter Schafer going full-body with her depiction of a young character experiencing a complete dismantling of her reality.

Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) has been pulled out of her American life after the death of her mother, forced to move to a resort in the Bavarian Alps with her father, Luis (Marton Csokas), his wife, Beth (Jessica Henwick), and their mute daughter, Alma (Mila Lieu). The family is welcomed by owner Konig (Dan Stevens), who’s looking forward to developing the property with Luis and Beth, leaving Gretchen to figure out her place in the mix, soon taking a front desk job, where she begins to witness odd behavior from guests. Emerging from the dark is The Hooded Woman (Kalin Morrow), a mysterious stranger who seems to be pursuing Gretchen when she’s most exposed in the night. And there’s the arrival of Detective Henry (Jan Bluthardt), who’s trying to learn more about The Hooded Woman and the resort, suspecting the enigmatic figure to be a murderer. As Gretchen grows more despondent about her living situation, she looks for a way out, finding hope in guest Ed (Astrid Berges-Frisbey), and hindrance from Luis, who’s focused on Alma as she starts to develops serious health issues.

There’s a monumental shift in Gretchen’s life occuring, with the teenager not only returning to live with her estranged father, but he’s taken everyone to a remote area of Europe for the summer. It’s a move that puts the main character in a state of distress, leaving a band she was involved with, while the memory of her mother remains at home, working through her grief by recording messages for the deceased on her phone. Gretchen is carrying so much, and she’s not a fan of Beth and Alma, placing her in a tough position as she’s forced to live with the pair in this new arrangement, organized by Konig. Singer puts a lot on the main character before oddity commences, creating a fractured mental state for Gretchen, who’s emotionally raw and a bit bewildered by her surroundings, giving “Cuckoo” room to explore reality and physical spaces.

Something is brewing in the resort, with The Hooded Woman introduced to add mystery to “Cuckoo,” emerging from the dark with a strange appearance. More questions are raised with piercing shrieks and assorted moments of disorientation, including brief time loops. Singer starts to add pieces to the puzzle, using Detective Henry to bring suspense to the feature, with the man of law on a mission that’s not entirely connected to his vocation. Gretchen goes sleuthing as well, meeting others, like Ed, who contribute to the emotional upheaval of the resort, inspiring an ill-fated escape plan. However, Gretchen’s distress is only part of “Cuckoo,” with Singer going slow with his tours of the complex and the character’s perspective, which is distorted by something almost impossible to define, and she grows more aware of what she’s up against as the story unfolds.

Cuckoo Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Cuckoo" supplies a textured look at frame elements, including tours of the mountain resort. Interiors retain dimensional, examining strange architecture, and exteriors are deep, highlighting the remote location. Skin particulars are detailed, examining the roughness of bizarre creatures and physical deterioration. Costuming is fibrous. Colors are alert, with warmer blues and oranges in resort spaces. Redness with blood is rich, and greenery is distinct. Clothing provides crisp whites at times. Delineation is satisfactory, preserving evening activity. Grain is fine and film-like.

Cuckoo Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix secures sharp dialogue exchanges, handling various accents and dramatic intensity without distortive extremes. Scoring supports with crisp instrumentation, and soundtrack selections are equally defined, with clear vocals. Surrounds explore musical moods, and they also do very well with active sound effects, reinforcing points of pressure and pursuit with panning and separation effects. Low-end provides activity with violent events and musical beats.

Cuckoo Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "The Making of 'Cuckoo'" (5:34, HD) features interviews with producers Markus Halberschmidt and Josh Rosenbaum, production designer Dario Mendez Acosta, costume designer Frauke Firl, and actors Marton Csokas, Hunter Schafer, Kalin Morrow, Mila Lieu, and Jessica Henwick. The interviewees are in salesperson mode, sharing their praise for writer/director Tilman Singer and his original vision for "Cuckoo," with Schafer noting his extraordinary knowledge of the material, making him an ideal collaborator. A few technical achievements are celebrated, pointing out the visual meaning of Gretchen's jacket, and praise for Schafer's performance is offered. There's nothing revelatory here, and it's far from a deep dive when it comes to the mysteries of the picture.

• "The 'Cuckoo' Video Diaries" (7:35, HD) spends a little time on the set of the movie, watching the cast hang out while the crew prepares upcoming shots. There's some decent fly-on-the-wall footage of the production in motion. Actress Hunter Schafer also provides semi- rambling interview time, celebrating her concentration with her first leading role, also sharing how bloody "Cuckoo" is. For added enjoyment, writer/director Tilman Singer makes sure to flip off the camera whenever he's featured.

• On-Set Interviews (HD) include actress Hunter Schafer (10:14), costume designer Frauke Firl (7:49), and production designer Dario Mendez Acosta (5:01, HD).

• Deleted Scenes (HD) include "Henry's Arrival" (2:52), "Beth & Alma" (1:08), "Gretchen in the Dark" (1:33), "Gretchen & Henry" (:46), "Alma & Bonomo's Technician" (:42), and "Henry's Dream" (2:05).

• And a Theatrical Teaser (:35, HD) and a Theatrical Trailer (2:25, HD) are included.

Cuckoo Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Singer hopes to hit more sensitive areas of pain, especially with relationships, as Gretchen is facing a family she doesn't want to be part of. And there's something of a weird science angle to the tale, which takes over the feature's final act. Singer starts to amplify dangers for all as he makes his way to a conclusion, and "Cuckoo" becomes a more violent endeavor, with sharp physical challenges and lots of bloodshed. It grows exciting and more puzzling, even when it tries to explain what's going on. However, the production has atmosphere and some effective elements of horror, and there's a feral side to Schafer's performance that helps "Cuckoo" reach intended moments of pure intensity, giving herself in full to the eeriness Singer is constructing, making it all as interesting as possible.