The Killing of a Sacred Deer

It would be boring if all A-list filmmakers were normal. A disruption of a cold, perfectly rational world by an irrational force, a demon that cannot be defeated. Not as eccentrically intellectual as The Lobster, but with more viewer-friendly content, The Killing of a Sacred Deer is basically a genre movie for more discerning viewers. However, it is also unique in its execution. It is hypnotically slow, with brilliant shots and Bernard Herrmann-style horror music, while also being emotionally restrained and hellishly cruel. Colin Farrell is a chameleon and Nicole Kidman perfect as always, both as an actress and in her underwear. And the young Irish devil Barry Keoghan looks promising. [Cannes] (26/05/2017)

I first came across Yorgos Lanthimos's work through The Favourite, and since I was intrigued by his distinctive (and somewhat twisted) directorial style, I decided to watch one of his earlier pieces. In terms of building up an uncomfortable atmosphere and the truly unnatural direction of the actors and odd camera amgñes, The Killing of a Sacred Deer highlights the director's unique aesthetic. However, while I didn't mind this style with The Favourite, and in fact found it suited to the historically distant time period, I wasn't as hooked in the case of Deer. The film builds on a very bizarre plot, which on the one hand feels offbeat and creepy, but on the other is just too weird for my taste. Nicole Kidman and Colin Farrell give convincing and strong performances, but in the case of the child actors I have to be critical, especially because of the robotic (which may have been the point) acting of Raffey Cassidy. Barry Keoghan is a chapter unto himself. I first saw him in Dunkirk and found him incredibly unlikeable, and I was seriously indifferent to his fate. I also found him unlikeable here, but in this case it added to a deeper appreciation of his character. The final ten minutes were very powerful and uncomfortable to watch, no question about it. The film is somewhere between two and three stars for me. I'll give it a thumbs up for now, but it's quite possible that I'll reconsider my opinion in time. (25/04/2020)

The Killing of a Sacred Deer has a very strong denouement that is simply great. It's disgusting, it's ugly, some people won't even want to watch it, but the script has put the characters in that state really well. This is not violence for violence's sake, but it's important in terms of the story. So even though Lanthimos' visuals are a bit repetitive, he still manages to wow the viewer. (16/03/2018)

What drew me to watch the film was the cast. The bearded Colin Farrell was almost unrecognizable, only his eyes gave him away, and Nicole Kidman appeared slightly older, although her youthful charm couldn't be denied. It is the story of a cardiac surgeon who made a mistake during an operation in the past, which led to the death of a patient, whose son is now seeking revenge. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. However, you have the option to choose: sacrifice one of your children or your wife for the death of my father. Although it was somewhat cold and emotionally devoid in terms of acting, it was brilliantly filmed. I was fascinated by the eerily disturbing music that crept through the plot and greatly enhanced the depressing mood of the film. Barry Keoghan, playing the vengeful teenage son, portrayed his role so repulsively that I swallowed it hook, line, and sinker. (75%) (11/03/2020)

Yorgos Lanthimos shrewdly uses very modest means (with a modest budget) to create a hypnotic yet quite tense atmosphere. In fact, he makes ample use of distant and seemingly detached long camera shots and a musical motif that burrows under the skin and is a terrified jumble of a few simple sounds. The ambivalent presentation of Martin's character adds to the clearly hard-to-define (but very effective) atmosphere. At first glance, he looks and acts like a nice and innocent boy, while in reality he represents an evil similar to "that nice and innocent Damien" from The Omen. (07/02/2019)