The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017) – Review

Strange, unpredictable and bizarre. Just a few random words that come to mind when I hear the name of director Yorgos Lanthimos. And even though I have not seen Dogtooth, his previous film, The Lobster certainly had all those properties. But in addition, he also manages to attract you as a viewer into that bizarre world and to hypnotize you, as it were. You want to know more, find out what is going on, even if you have no idea where that will eventually lead. The Killing of a Sacred Deer is his latest film and the question is whether it is just as hypnotic again.

Steven Murphy (Collin Farrell) is a successful surgeon who is friends with a boy, Martin (Barry Keoghan). It initially is unclear what the relationship between the two is exactly. Still, it seems to be close and Steven introduces him to the rest of his family. Martin is extremely gallant, but during the first part you get the feeling that something is going on. The family has to deal with strange phenomena and the question is how to deal with them.

 The way in which Lanthimos tells the story quickly gets under your skin. The conversations and behaviors of characters sometimes seems stylized and as a viewer you aren’t allowed to feel comfortable during any moment. As the film progresses, the situation becomes less and less predictable and it turns into something best described as a kind of thriller / horror film that even reminded me of Prisoners. It is certainly not an accessible film that everyone will enjoy, but if you are open to unpredictability and have already enjoyed previous films by Lanthimos then it is definitely a title that should give you a chance.