Cuckoo (2024) Ending & Themes Explained – Are Alma and Gretchen safe from the evils of the Island? 

Tilman Singer’s latest horror film (after the chilling 2018 film Luz), Cuckoo, is a similarly unsettling terrifier that takes us into the world of a remote Bavarian resort. With a plot that keeps pushing new and mysterious elements that tease of psychological tension, supernatural horror, and family drama, Cuckoo explores themes of isolation, grief, and the dangers of not trusting one’s instincts. Starring Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, and Jessica Henwick, the film is intermittently captivating, building an eerie atmosphere and unnerving narrative. However, Cuckoo is never truly able to bring all the elements together, especially that baffling ending; it is crucial to look closely at it. 

In the following article we will take a look at everything major that will help you understand the twisted horror movie better. Please be aware of spoilers. 

Cuckoo (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis: 

The film opens with 17-year-old Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) being uprooted from her life in America after her mother’s death. She travels with her father Luis (Márton Csókás), stepmother Beth (Jessica Henwick), and mute half-sister Alma (Mila Lieu) to a remote house in the German Alps, where Luis and Beth are tasked with designing a new property for Herr König (Dan Stevens), the local resort owner. The tension between Gretchen and her family is palpable from the start; she feels alienated and disconnected, not only from her new surroundings but also from her family, especially Alma, whom she coldly declares is “not really her sister.”

As the family settles into their new environment, Gretchen reluctantly takes a job at König’s resort, thinking that the money would help her escape to the house she grew up in with her mother. From the likes of it, she is also one of the members of her music band – we can see her trying to piece together some music when she is alone. However, things quickly start to feel off in the resort.

Bizarre and unsettling events begin to occur: women mysteriously vomit in the hotel lobby, Gretchen is chased down by a hooded woman with red eyes (she wears some cool-ass shades to cover them for us), and Alma starts experiencing terrifying seizures. König, along with a local doctor, Dr. Bonomo, takes an unusual interest in Alma’s condition, hinting that the resort and its secrets may be linked to something much more sinister.

What Makes the Resort So Shady?

From early on, it’s clear that Herr König, the resort’s overly friendly yet unnervingly controlling owner, has something to hide. His polite but forceful demeanor contrasts with the increasingly strange happenings at the resort. Gretchen begins to suspect that König, along with Dr. Bonomo, may have dark motivations for their interest in her family, particularly in Alma’s condition. 

König’s hold over the family and the resort becomes even more suspicious after a violent car accident involving Gretchen and her love interest, Ed (Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey). This accident, coupled with Gretchen’s encounters with the hooded woman, only deepens the sense that something otherworldly is at play within the resort.

What does Gretchen discover when she teams up with Henry?

As Gretchen becomes increasingly suspicious of the strange occurrences at the resort, she finds an unexpected ally in Henry (Jan Bluthardt), a former detective with his own concerns about the resort’s eerie happenings. Together, they start investigating the resort and the mysterious hooded woman who has been haunting Gretchen. Henry suspects that this woman is connected to at least one murder, and as they dig deeper, the true nature of what is happening at the resort begins to unfold.

Their investigation leads them to a cottage on the resort grounds known as “The Lover’s Nest,” where they witness a shocking and horrifying event. Gretchen’s coworker Trixie (Greta Fernández), who works alongside her at the front desk, is attacked by the hooded woman. To Gretchen and Henry’s horror, the woman attempts to implant Trixie with a mysterious, grotesque slime. This strange act of implantation leads Gretchen and Henry to the realization that the hooded woman is not just a menace but something far more inhuman.

Who is the hooded woman, and what is her connection with Alma?

The Hooded Woman is one of the central mysteries and primary antagonists in Cuckoo. She belongs to a humanoid species that practices brood parasitism—a terrifying method where they implant their offspring into human surrogates. The Hooded Woman has been haunting the visitors of Dr. Köning’s isolated resort for years, using her abilities to attack, manipulate, and control those who stay there. She emits a disorienting sound that incapacitates her victims, distorts their perception of time, and manipulates their memories.

Her ultimate goal is to ensure that the children she implants develop the same powers as her, using her connection with them to unlock their potential. Dr. Köning, the mastermind behind the events at the resort, aids her in these sinister acts, driven by his desire to nurture and control this new species of human-like creatures.

The Connection Between the Hooded Woman and Alma

One of the most shocking revelations in Cuckoo is the connection between the Hooded Woman and Alma. Alma is, in fact, the Hooded Woman’s daughter. Years before the events of the film, the Hooded Woman implanted her into Beth, Gretchen’s stepmother, while Beth and Luis were staying at the resort on their honeymoon. This explains why Alma cannot speak—like the rest of her species, she is only capable of emitting the same disorienting shrieks her biological mother uses to attack her victims.

Dr. Köning and his accomplice, Dr. Bonomo, are determined to reunite Alma with her “true” mother, the Hooded Woman, so she can continue the process of raising Alma and unlocking her hidden abilities. They plan to bring Alma into their humanoid species fully, raising her apart from her human family.

Cuckoo (2024) movie ending explained

What does Gretchen do to protect Alma?

When Gretchen uncovers this truth, she realizes the full extent of Köning’s manipulation and the threat the Hooded Woman poses to Alma. Gretchen, who has always felt distant from her half-sister, ultimately decides to protect Alma from both Köning and the Hooded Woman. 

However, the situation becomes complicated when Henry, an ex-detective and Gretchen’s ally, reveals his intention not only to kill the Hooded Woman but also Alma, whom he views as a threat due to her inhuman origins. Of course, his need to do it comes from personal trauma as well. Since his wife died due to the resort and Köning’s intentions, he is filled with revenge. 

Gretchen fights to protect Alma from both sides. In a tense stand-off in a library, Gretchen ultimately kills the Hooded Woman, stabbing her to prevent her from taking Alma away. However, Alma initially misunderstands Gretchen’s intentions and flees, believing that Gretchen might harm her as well.

After the death of the Hooded Woman, Gretchen reconnects with Alma, explaining that she would never hurt her. Together, they form a plan to escape from Henry and Köning, ensuring Alma’s safety and freedom from the forces that seek to control her.

Do Henry and Köning die?

During the shootout sequence at the library, the final fate of both Henry and Dr. Köning is left unresolved. We see their conflicting agendas turning them head-on with each other – Henry desires revenge, while Köning wants to protect the secret of the humanoid species he has been developing.

The shootout sees both of their agendas coming together as Gretchen and Alma manage to avoid getting shot. However, as Gretchen and Alma successfully escape, we hear two gunshots. Now, since neither Henry nor Köning come out to chase the sisters, we can assume that men may have killed each other. It is also possible that the conclusion is left this way because maybe both of them survived, as the very next sequence sets up the possibility of Cuckoo Part 2. 

Are Alma and Gretchen safe from the evils of the Island? 

The ending of Cuckoo sees Gretchen and Alma driving away from the Island with Ed, who is supposedly healed from the accident she had while driving away with Gretchen. We briefly see in the climatic moment that Alma’s ear twitches – possibly hearing a call from any other form of humanoid left in the resort. However, looking at the film’s central theme (that we discuss below), we can say that Alma is now strong enough to deal with such threats on her own, having her big sister by her side to protect and believe in her. 

What does the movie Cuckoo really mean? 

Even though Cuckoo can seem like it doesn’t really know what it wants to say, there are a couple of themes that one can find within its experimental folds. The most obvious one would be – family, sisterhood, and personal growth. While its plot might leave you confused with its focus on humanoid brood parasites, body horror, and ambiguous supernatural elements, the emotional heart of the film offers a more grounded and relatable theme.

Sisterhood and Family Bonds

At its most basic level, the film is about the evolving bond between Gretchen and her half-sister, Alma. Gretchen starts off emotionally distant, grieving her mother’s death and feeling resentful towards her father’s new family. Alma, mute and misunderstood, seems like a reminder of everything Gretchen has lost. This divide is what drives Gretchen’s emotional journey throughout the film. However, over time, Gretchen begins to see Alma not just as her father’s child from a new marriage but as a true sister.

The turning point in their relationship comes when Gretchen discovers that Alma, using a text-to-speech program, left a message for her deceased mother, not realizing she had died. This gesture shows Alma’s own sense of love and longing for family, which touches Gretchen and sparks a change in her attitude. By the end of the movie, Gretchen risks her life to protect Alma, choosing family over fear. 

Breaking Generational Cycles

Director Tilman Singer has hinted that Cuckoo can be interpreted as a metaphor for “reproductive health” and “the many forms of sisterhood” while also exploring themes of generational conflict and repeating cycles within families. The film can be seen as a reflection on how trauma, manipulation, and dysfunction are passed down through generations, but it also suggests that these cycles can be broken by love and understanding. Gretchen’s relationship with Alma symbolizes this break, as she chooses to protect and love her sister despite the sinister circumstances of Alma’s origin.

Having said that, director Singer wanted the film to be open to audience interpretation, allowing different viewers to find their own meanings in the film’s strange and unsettling world. While some may interpret the film as a metaphor for the complexities of reproductive rights and bodily autonomy, others may focus on its messages about family, sisterhood, and overcoming emotional isolation.

Whether it’s viewed as an allegory for reproductive health, a story about healing family bonds, or simply a creepy tale about body horror and bird-human hybrids, the film’s emotional resonance is what grounds it. Through Gretchen and Alma’s relationship, Cuckoo shows that love and connection can help us navigate even the darkest and most confusing circumstances.

Read More: Cuckoo (2024) Movie Review: Bird-Brained Plotting With No Sense of Orientation

Cuckoo (2024) Movie Trailer

Cuckoo (2024) Movie Links: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Wikipedia, Letterboxd
Cast: Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwick, Marton Csokas, Mila Lieu, Greta Fernández, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, Proschat Madani, Kalin Morrow, Jan Bluthardt
Release Date: Aug 9th, 2024 | Genre: Horror/Mystery & Thriller | Runtime: 1h 42m

Where to watch Cuckoo