THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER (2017)

Cast

Plot

Following the story of surgeon Steven (Colin Farrell in peak Colin Farrell mode) and his family, the film begins with a linear narrative concerning the interactions between this upper-middle class family and a strange boy named Martin. However, as Martin's behaviour becomes increasingly troubled, the family's safety and stability becomes threatened, resulting in devastating consequences. This, combined with Lanthimos' bizarre penchant for rendering characters entirely devoid of backstory and consequently emotion, makes Sacred Deer easily the most profoundly disturbing film I watched in 2017. Taken at face value, the film acts as an idiosyncratic cautionary tale with sparse (I use the word liberally, I remember laughing exactly once throughout the duration of the movie. Something about a pie. Anyway, sparse) elements of comedy cutting jarringly through the drama. However, the film gains another dimension when viewed with the knowledge that it is loosely based on the Greek myth of Iphigenia which concerns, without giving too much away the killing of a, well, sacred deer. Shown in this light, the story appears more as a traditional revenge tragedy which, when juxtaposing with the modern setting, adds to the uncomfortable atmosphere of the movie. The Killing Of A Sacred Deer is arguably Lanthimos' most troubling portrayal of family dynamics and the human psyche yet, even more so than Dogtooth (and that's saying something.) It is definitely a film I won't be forgetting in a hurry. - Daisy Steinhardt, 20th Century Flicks Worker Ant and Yorgos Lanthimos fan.