Cuckoo (2024)

Tilman Singer’s Cuckoo is ambitious and off-the-wall and works surprisingly well as an unsettling horror movie. Viewers should be aware that Cuckoo is not a straightforward horror movie but is filled with twists, outlandish experiments, and body horror that can sometimes be confusing. However, the madness of the story makes it unique and even more disturbing, while Hunter Schafer and Dan Stevens's opposing characters serve the film well. Cuckoo will especially appeal to viewers who enjoy sci-fi body horror movies like District 9 and The Things and don't mind not having all the answers in the end.

A twisty plot and unsettling imagery are the surface-level appeals of Cuckoo, but the strong direction and impressive central performances are the real draw of the horror film. Focusing on a teenager as she reckons with the death of her mother and the discovery that something strange is seemingly happening to her half-sister, Cuckoo is a compelling drama that veers back into horror at key moments. The true appeal of the film can be found in the lead performances of Hunter Schafer as Gretchen and Dan Stevens as the villainous König, which elevates the strong writing into something special.

Inspired by parasitic cuckoo birds, Cuckoo centers around a parasitic human subspecies that needs to use humans to reproduce. The film is truly terrifying, combining body horror with psychological horror, and it’s all wrapped around a story that will make your skin crawl. If you love deeply unsettling horror films like Barbarian or When Evil Lurks, you’re going to love Cuckoo.