The Killing of a Sacred Deer

UK Release Date: 3 November 2017

Certification: 15

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Cast: Raffey Cassidy, Colin Farrell, Barry Keoghan, Nicole Kidman, Sunny Suljic

Rating: 67%

A24's most disturbing and bizarre film. 

Review:

After having some time to reflect and digest A24 film, The Killing of a Sacred Deer I still don't truly know what to think but I'll try to translate my thoughts across here in this review. One thing I do know is that this is a thoroughly metaphorically complex film that will need to be viewed multiple times to be fully appreciated. 

Colin Farrell plays Steven, a surgeon with a wife and two kids - a normal life. The Irish actor teams up with Greek filmmaker, Yorgos Lanthimos, once again after The Lobster. It's a frustrating performance for me because he does what he's asked too but his character ended up making a few idiotic choices. Thats more on the writing than Farrell's acting. Nicole Kidman, on the other hand, is brilliant. She's a lot smarter and aware of what's really going on. The concern and anguish for her children is jaw-droopingly surreal. It's a similar story with the children in my opinion. Sunny Suljic is great, really conveying the hurt he's going through. But Raffey Cassidy's performance is too weird for me. Her character is really annoying and there were points where I just wanted her off the screen. 

However, Barry Keoghan is dynamite throughout the runtime of The Killing of a Sacred Deer, he's hypnotic. This performance proves to me that he will be a phenomenal Joker. There's a sense of dread from the very first moment he appears on screen. He always feels out of place and a bit creepy, stalking Steven's family, but his true motives are revealed and he's let off the leash. 

Similarly, to Prisoners, The Killing of a Sacred Deer isn't a typical horror movie and yet I was still terrified. Lanthimos does an excellent job at creating an uncomfortable atmosphere from start to finish. He's helped out by an ambiguous score that plays eerily during scenes of everyday life only amplify that feeling of apprehension. The last half an hour of the film is just scenes of distress over and over again to the point where it's quite overwhelming. And that's my main complaint with the film. The movie made me feel uncomfortable throughout which is a huge accomplishment as I felt something whilst watching. But I was so uncomfortable that I could've easily switched the film off at any point.

The unhinged, monotone dialogue makes for a unique viewing experience but some weird discussions leave me somewhat undecided on The Killing of a Sacred Deer.