Cuckoo

Cuckoo

Year: 2024

Runtime: 1 h 42 m

Language: english

Director: Tilman Singer

Echo Score: 60

Budget: $7M

HorrorMysteryThriller

Set in the remote German Alps, a young woman named Gretchen is compelled to rejoin her father at his secluded resort. There, she encounters her mute half-sister, Alma, and discovers unsettling secrets and hidden motives within the family. As Gretchen investigates, a disturbing presence emerges, threatening the stability of their isolated world.

Cuckoo (2024) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at Cuckoo (2024) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In the stark yet beautiful isolation of the Bavarian Alps, a remote family resort becomes the quiet backdrop for a fragile reunion. Gretchen returns to the mountains after her mother’s death, drawn back into the world of her estranged father, Luis, and his new wife, Beth. The towering peaks and echoing valleys create a sense of both serenity and unease, a place where the past feels as present as the cold wind that sweeps through the corridors of the lodge.

Amidst the alpine austerity, Gretchen discovers her half‑sister Alma, a mute girl whose presence is both tender and puzzling. Their tentative bond unfolds against a backdrop of whispered family history and hidden motivations that linger in every room. The resort’s staff, including the enigmatic Dr. König and the quietly observant Dr. Bonomo, add layers of subtle tension, suggesting that the tranquil façade may conceal deeper currents. A fleeting encounter with a mysterious guest, Ed, hints at possibilities beyond the secluded community, while the occasional, disconcerting bird call weaves an undercurrent of dread through the otherwise pristine landscape.

The film’s tone balances lyrical melancholy with an unsettling suspense, inviting viewers to feel the weight of unspoken grief and the pull of secretive forces at work. As Gretchen navigates the delicate dynamics of her fractured family, she confronts the lingering shadows of loss and the uneasy feeling that something unseen watches from the alpine woods. The atmosphere is one of quiet dread, where the isolation of the mountains amplifies every whisper, and every glimmer of connection carries the potential to unravel the fragile peace of the secluded resort.

Last Updated: August 09, 2025 at 19:38

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Remote horror movies with family secrets like Cuckoo

Isolated locations become traps as protagonists uncover horrifying truths about their own kin.If the isolated alpine dread and shocking family revelations in Cuckoo captivated you, explore more movies like it. These horror and thriller stories use remote settings to amplify tension as characters discover terrifying truths hidden by their own relatives, leading to a desperate fight for survival.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically follow a protagonist who enters an isolated environment, often a family home or property. What begins as an investigation or reunion quickly devolves into a struggle for survival as they discover the people they should trust are involved in something deeply disturbing, transforming the safe haven into a prison.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped together by their potent combination of a remote, inescapable setting and the central theme of familial betrayal. They share a mood of escalating dread and claustrophobia, where the horror is personal and stems from the violation of trust within a family unit.

Movies with scientific body horror like Cuckoo

Where the terror of scientific experimentation blurs the line between humanity and monstrosity.For viewers disturbed and fascinated by the chilling experimentation in Cuckoo, this list features similar movies. Discover other horror stories where science becomes a tool for terror, exploring themes of bodily autonomy, psychological manipulation, and the horrific consequences of playing god.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a protagonist who becomes trapped in a situation controlled by a manipulative expert figure. The horror is methodical and psychological, focusing on the loss of bodily integrity and agency. The conflict is against a perversion of science, where the goal is to escape or destroy an inhuman experiment.

Why These Movies?

These films are linked by their core theme of scientific horror and the specific dread associated with body modification and loss of control. They share a dark tone, heavy emotional weight, and often feature disturbing imagery related to experimentation, creating a coherently terrifying experience for fans of this subgenre.

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Cuckoo Summary

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Cuckoo Summary

Cuckoo Timeline

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Cuckoo Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Cuckoo

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Cuckoo

Cuckoo Ending Explained

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More About Cuckoo

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