The Palme d’Or nominated “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” is an unnerving, tense film that tells the story of Dr Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell) and the destruction of his suburban life after Martin (Barry Keoghan) takes his revenge. Acclaimed director Yorgos Lanthimos reunites with Golden Globe winner Colin Farrell to bring audiences a chilling experience derived from Greek mythology. Fly-on-the-wall camera angles make viewers feel they’re intruding on this family’s sacrificial experience, adding another layer of terror.
An Unnerving Tale, Led by a Star Cast
Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Raffey Cassidy, and Sunny Suljic star as members of the Murphy family, a family who live a seemingly normal life in the Cincinnati suburbs. But when Martin, the son of one of Steven’s previous patients, begins to insert himself into Steven’s life, the Murphy family becomes the victim of a mysterious entity, with the children falling ill with an unknown disease. Faced with a fatal ultimatum, Steven must choose who lives and who dies.
Yorgos Lanthimos brings this dark adaptation of the Greek tragedy “Iphigenia at Aulis” to the viewers; the film is accompanied by his trademark monotone line delivery. Efthymis Filippou and Lanthimos pen the script; and, mixed with cold-blooded performances, creates an unsettling and disturbing film that sticks with you long after you’ve watched it. “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” is one of A24’s more discomposing films to come along in recent years, sitting on the same shelf as Ari Aster’s “Midsommar,” and Gaspar Noé’s “Climax.” Audiences are thrown straight into the film’s graphic nature with the first shot being a direct close-up of a real heart bypass surgery that Lanthimos and Farrell attended.
An Eerie Atmosphere with Arresting Performances
Colin Farrell and Barry Keoghan both give utterly arresting performances; however, Nicole Kidman’s commanding performance falters as her Australian accent peaks through at times. Lanthimos’ ability to deal with such disconcerting subject matter and scenarios is what makes his films feel so refreshing; not every film you watch will feature a scene where a father plays Russian roulette with his wife and children. Thimios Bakatakis’ cinematography blends with the film’s eerie atmosphere and highlights the features of filming on 35mm film. Whether it be the smooth camera movements or affectless performances, “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” shines; it captivates and creates an environment that keeps viewers invested throughout the film’s 121-minute runtime.
Barry Keoghan in “The Killing of a Sacred Deer.” Photo: A24.
The film’s absurdness is evident from the get-go as one of the first scenes features a scantily clad Nicole Kidman pretending to be under anaesthesia while Colin Farrell hungrily kisses her. So, just when you think it’s got weird enough, Lanthimos peels back another layer to reveal something even weirder and scarier. It’s obvious that the film’s main themes are justice and sacrifice; but “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” presents these themes in an incredibly perverse way that leaves audiences completely dumbfounded. The film’s penultimate scene leaves you both dumbstruck and terrified, watching through your fingers as the scene unfolds.
Psychological Horror Mixed with Invasive Camerawork Leads to Solid Chills
Lanthimos’ film is psychological horror in which it’s stony performances work in the film’s favour, adding to its uneasy ambience. Invasive cinematography and generally distressing atmosphere leaves audiences on the edge of their seats by the closing credits, leaving them terrified. However, it also leaves them with an abundance of questions; the most pertinent of these, of course, is how does Martin have this control over the Murphy family? And is he a god-like figure or just a fatherless child from Cincinnati, Ohio? Overall, “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” brings viewers a film that leaves them chilled to their core.
“The Killing of a Sacred Deer” is available to watch, rent, or stream from most platforms.
