Singer's delightfully bonkers thriller is part 70s B-movie throwback and part Cronenberg inspired body horror, all shot with a whimsically creepy style that gets under your skin. Cuckoo takes the standard fish-out-of-water discovers something sinister is going on trope and spirals into a classically fantastical story of survival that knows how much fun it is having with the genre. It embraces it all to tell a fun and just the chilling side of silly story.
At the heart of this is Schafer's scream queen performance. She is bitter and damaged and steps up to be the final girl hero that we all know she can be and her journey is wonderful to watch. So much of what makes Cuckoo work, besides Singer's love-letter directing, is Schafer's dedication to the character and her adventures. She is rude and wonderful throughout.
Stevens is also great, walking a fine line between Bond villain and mad scientist with a grace that is surprising. It would have been easy to chew a lot more scenery but he keeps it subtle and is far more frightening this way. His chemistry with Schafer is pitch perfect.
Be prepared to embrace the film's gonzo sensibilities. It doesn't take itself seriously but leans into an uneasy sense of weirdness and dread that is chilling. But it is a fun wild ride.
Cuckoo
Starring: Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwick, Marton Csokas
Writer/Director: Tilman Singer
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