Cuckoo is the latest film from Tilman Singer who came in with Luz, a film that was widely appreciated. In Cuckoo, Singer brings in Hunter Schafer and Dan Stevens into one of the kookiest films of the year. The premise of Cuckoo follows Gretchen (Schafer) as she moves with her father, stepmother and stepsister to the German Alps. Gretchen soon realizes things aren’t what they seem, as a mysterious woman begins stalking her.

Cuckoo by far was one of my most anticipated films at SXSW back in March. I was so excited to finally sit down with this film that Neon had been sitting on for a bit. The feeling was electric at SXSW after the premiere of Civil War that same day. We sat for Cuckoo and had Singer, Schafer, and Steven introduce the film. I will tell you the film does start off strong but something happens halfway that has it stumble.

I won’t get into spoilers here so let’s just get into the good of the film. Cuckoo at its strongest is in the performances from both Schafer and Stevens. There’s a scene that Hunter really excels in showing the complicated emotions of grief and trying to keep it together. It’s been a great year for most of the Euphoria cast with Zendaya, and Sydney Sweeney both having wide releases. I’ll tell you though, that Schafer in my opinion excels compared to her Euphoria co-stars. Despite Cuckoo’s script feeling at times thin and weak, is given so much life support from Schafer’s performance. Dan Stevens as well should be mentioned for playing a very cartoonish character that still feels menacing. Dan is able to balance the outlandish antics of his character and still make you fear him. It’s almost an uncanny performance that works so well. The two actors share the most memorable moments in the film and without them, Cuckoo would fall apart.

I’m not trying to discredit Tilman Singer, however, because I do believe there’s some inspired shots here. There is a scene with Gretchen cycling through the dark of night that is one of my favorite scenes of the year. I think Cuckoo has so much potential when it comes to its distinct look and style. Cuckoo alongside Strange Darling which also comes out this year are the best shot films of the year for me. The choice to shoot this thriller in film really makes it stand out so much from the other horror films. Of course, film is a medium with many arts mixed in and visuals can’t be the only way to judge it. Cuckoo is at its strongest when it comes to visuals and it’s acting but fall flat everywhere else.

Cuckoo has a story that is wacky and so crazy it works, but then it wants to subdue it. My problem with Cuckoo is it wants to try to shy away from the strong aspects it introduced earlier on. Tilman Singer has such an interesting and unique premise that also feels familiar. It pulls a lot of inspiration from the B horror films of the 80’s and that’s where it really shines. However, I do think Singer tries to pack so many switches and story points that it becomes muddled. The ultimate reveal as well isn’t paced well enough and feels very flat with the rest of the film.

Cuckoo is a movie with so much potential and feels like it could have used another revision. Hunter Schafer and Dan Stevens are able to carry the film through its rough patches. Tilman Singer’s visuals as well add a layer to the thin story. The film Cuckoo really lacks when it comes to its story and pacing. It can feel stretched out and also not long enough at the same time. A lot of great emotional beats from Hunter Schafer with some amazing visual designs. It’s really a movie that has me torn because I love so much about it but a lot, I’m not really vibing with.

We give Cuckoo a 3.5/5.