Yorgos Lanthimos rears his ugly Greek head again, fresh from the international success of 2015's peculiar The Lobster. He's gone on record to say that he doesn't know how to make a straight-forward film and his fifth feature seems to confirm that statement. The Killing of a Sacred Deer is as odd as the title might suggest and certainly won't be for everyone, but those who like their movies on the different side are likely to find a lot to lap up.
It boasts an all-star cast with Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman appearing as a wealthy husband and wife who's lives get turned upside down when the young Barry Keoghan enters their lives with sinister intentions. You could say that all this talent is somewhat wasted due to how they're all made to deliver their lines with an air of monotone autism to them. Farrell and Keoghan's characters dryly reel off information at one hundred miles per hour and no one acts remotely normal. It's an acting style which will immediately put a lot of people off straight off, but it does add to the creepy atmosphere which sustains throughout.
Lanthimos directs the film with a suitably strange style, reminiscent of David Lynch and Michael Haneke at times. It isn't a film to be taken literally, I think the whole thing could be interpreted as a dream or a kind of metaphor. It has its roots in Greek mythology which can certainly be seen through the bizarre events which unfold.
It's difficult to talk about the film without unravelling too much of the plot, which shouldn't be done. The film isn't as shocking as some reviewers like to claim. It certainly isn't as disturbing as Dogtooth but it does break some cinematic taboos by addressing some dark themes involving children, but these aren't anything we haven't seen before in the films of Haneke. There's no gratuitous violence or sex, although some of the imagery involving these might linger.
In short, if you like art films and have an open mind then you'll absolutely love The Killing of a Sacred Deer. It's beautifully made and memorable, however audiences are likely to find the stilted characters difficult to engage with. It's also slowly paced, which I didn't have a problem with although I do think it would've benefited from some tighter cutting. It isn't a masterpiece like some claim, but it isn't unbearable rubbish either. It lies somewhere between them both.
It boasts an all-star cast with Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman appearing as a wealthy husband and wife who's lives get turned upside down when the young Barry Keoghan enters their lives with sinister intentions. You could say that all this talent is somewhat wasted due to how they're all made to deliver their lines with an air of monotone autism to them. Farrell and Keoghan's characters dryly reel off information at one hundred miles per hour and no one acts remotely normal. It's an acting style which will immediately put a lot of people off straight off, but it does add to the creepy atmosphere which sustains throughout.
Lanthimos directs the film with a suitably strange style, reminiscent of David Lynch and Michael Haneke at times. It isn't a film to be taken literally, I think the whole thing could be interpreted as a dream or a kind of metaphor. It has its roots in Greek mythology which can certainly be seen through the bizarre events which unfold.
It's difficult to talk about the film without unravelling too much of the plot, which shouldn't be done. The film isn't as shocking as some reviewers like to claim. It certainly isn't as disturbing as Dogtooth but it does break some cinematic taboos by addressing some dark themes involving children, but these aren't anything we haven't seen before in the films of Haneke. There's no gratuitous violence or sex, although some of the imagery involving these might linger.
In short, if you like art films and have an open mind then you'll absolutely love The Killing of a Sacred Deer. It's beautifully made and memorable, however audiences are likely to find the stilted characters difficult to engage with. It's also slowly paced, which I didn't have a problem with although I do think it would've benefited from some tighter cutting. It isn't a masterpiece like some claim, but it isn't unbearable rubbish either. It lies somewhere between them both.