Some horror films are so good visually that dialogue can almost ruin the mood. The same goes for a villain’s motivation in such movies – the more they blather, the less frightening they often are. (I loved it in THE STRANGERS when asked why they picked the victimized couple, one of the invaders simply said, “You were home.”) The new horror film CUCKOO plays smart like THE STRANGERS did for quite a while, not giving away too much explanation. It seems content to be visually and aurally unsettling, reveling in its morose setting, weird characters, tight narrative, and tragic heroine. But then writer/director Tilman Singer feels the need to trump all he’s built up so effectively with an extended, chatty third act that brings down the fun. All of the explanations in the dialogue of what’s going on start to feel a bit like parody, and it mars so much of the good thing Singer had going.
It’s a shame too because Singer is a helluva filmmaker, building a wonderful thrill ride until then with his cast and crew firing on all cylinders. The story seems simple and potent for most of the film as we watch an out-of-sorts teen girl named Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) trying to adjust to her ever-challenging world that is growing crazier each moment. The 17-year-old is already in a bad state grieving the recent death of her mother. Then she’s forced to live with her estranged father Luis (Marton Csokas) and his younger, second wife Beth (Jessica Henwick), and their child Alma (Mila Lieu). To add even more insult to injury, Gretchen is forced to leave the States and live with her new family in a remote village in the German Alps as Luis has accepted a new job there.
The agitated and surly Gretchen takes a part-time job at the resort run by Luis’ rich boss Herr Konig (Dan Stevens) just to get out of the house, but it turns out to be a very dunderheaded decision. While working there, Gretchen starts to notice all sorts of oddities running rampant in the hotel, from strange guests to even stranger noises, a plethora of shadowy figures, and no one working after 10 PM. Guests vomit or act out of sorts too leading Gretchen to wonder just what’s going on in the hotel. Not long after, she is wounded badly during a nocturnal bike ride home from work.
It seems that someone intentionally ran her down, and Gretchen ends up with two black eyes, a large head wound, and a busted arm, though her memory of all of it is foggy. The scene of her accident, by the way, is one example where Singer shines with the way the editing, sound design, and lighting work to create a nightmarish state that discombobulates us as much as Gretchen.
Lucky to be alive, Gretchen ends up wearing perhaps the most significant wound dressings since Jack Nicholson wore that large nose bandage for the middle act of CHINATOWN. The visual of the wounded Gretchen is exceedingly disturbing and the fragility of her arm will serve as a detriment in all of the drama and violence yet to come. Singer builds up our fear for her safety palpably and keeps us on edge.
All that Gretchen experiences ensures that we feel off-center too as Singer employs all kinds of clever techniques to add to the story’s uneasy feeling. Cocked lensing, echoing sound effects, and antsy performances all contribute beautifully to the exquisite tension. Even the mere introduction of a swimming pool late in the film gives the film a jolt.
Schafer gives an impressive, physical performance throughout, ensuring we feel Gretchen’s painful body aches as well as her mental duress. If only Singer had trusted her and the vibes he created to sustain the film in the third act rather than introducing unnecessary and overly expositional dialogue. Sometimes the light of day dampens the frights of a nightmare.
CUCKOO is scary, unnerving, and exceedingly well-crafted. Singer is the real deal as a filmmaker and I’m excited to see where his career goes after this. He should just let all he creates visually speak for itself with no buzz-killing explanations needed.
