Have you ever gotten the feeling that something is a little off, something’s not quite right but you can’t place your finger on it? You’re looking around waiting for Rod Serling to deliver a chilling monologue as you hear that hypnotising, sharp tune ring against your eardrums, but he’s not there. There’s nothing to relieve you of this silent anxiety, that minute haunting, the creeping feeling that someone or something is following you. The world is not the same.
In the mood for a piece of disturbing cinema I explored Stan until I came across ‘The Killing Of A Sacred Deer’. A vague description, three infamous celebrities and a cool grey colouring swiped down the poster. It had all the markings of a film that would keep you up at night. From the very first shot of a bloody beating organ as surgeons operate, I knew I had stumbled upon something genius. Over two hours, I was stunned silent as Yorgos Lanthimos slowly made me feel fear and disgust for his characters.
‘The Killing Of A Sacred Deer’ follows the relationship between Steven, a celebrated surgeon, and Martin, a teenager whom Steven has been mentoring. The pair are as thick as thieves until Martin reveals a devilish plan to bring Steven even closer while settling a revenge scheme. What follows is a ghoulish, anxious stare down as Steven is forced to make the most difficult decision before his family face dangerous consequences.
In an ideal world, I’d be able to review this properly without any details, I feel this is a perfect movie to go into blind. It’s perfectly unsettling, the rhythm is eerily steady, as if Yorgos has you on a leash. You don’t have the power to turn the film off, Yorgos just lays down enough breadcrumbs to tempt you even when you know it’s a trap. The awkward tone of voice the characters speak in, the camera constantly stalking them, and the tiniest clues revealing everyone’s dark secrets. That’s my favourite aspect, the director respects you enough to piece together the jigsaw yourself, he just hands you the pieces.
Colin Farrell portrays Steven with a blend of formal nervousness that catches you off-guard. He wanders and interacts with the world as if he’s seen the beginning and the end. It’s a brilliant style which made me increasingly uneasy. Surely Steven knew something that I didn’t? That I should have feared? Barry Keoghan plays Martin in possibly his best role to date. He pulls off an awkward dominance so effortlessly. You don’t want to hurt this guy’s feelings and he knows it. He’ll use it against you, and you’ll be stuck wondering which parts of this human are real? Nicole Kidman plays Anna, Steven’s wife, with a sophisticated dominance reminiscent of her performance as Alice in ‘Eyes Wide Shut’. In many ways, Anna feels like a continuation of Alice, calm and calculated, quiet and thoughtful. Kidman is a shuddering image of a wife just waiting for the slightest chance to pull the rug from under her husband. This trio masterfully creates a drama to rival ‘Game Of Thrones’ and ‘Succession’. Their dangerous chemistry keeps you in the corner just like you did when your parents fought.
Yorgos’s direction makes this film the perfect introduction to his filmography and style. The cinematography keeps us always either far behind, stalking and watching everyone’s every move, or close up next to them, indoctrinating the audience into the foul and chilling world created by these monsters in disguise. It’s slow-paced, but you discover something new every minute. This film is a case study of the most interesting characters you’ll ever meet.
Mason’s Top 3 Reasons To Watch ‘The Killing Of A Sacred Deer’
- A Rorschach test of characters. Is Steven hiding skeletons in the closet, or is he innocent and manipulated?
- An orchestral soundtrack that throws its gauntlet down to that of ‘Tar’ and ‘Joker’.
- A blood-chilling final scene that will keep you open-mouthed staring at the credits.
Leave a Reply