THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER

US, 2017, 121 minutes, Colour.
Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan, Alicia Silverstone, Raffey Cassidy, Sunny Suljic, Bill Camp.
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.


Greek director, Yorgos Lanthimos, has become something of a celebrity in recent years. He made Dogtooth, 2010, and Lobster, 2015. Critics were impressed by his rather offbeat approach to storytelling, touches of the bizarre, and rather different perspectives on human nature. With this present film, made in the United States and in Ireland, he won the screenplay award at Cannes, 2017.

As with dogs and lobsters, he has animal connotations in his title. Thoughtful publicists and reviewers have let audiences know that the references to Greek mythology. King Agamemnon, on his way to fight the Trojans, suffered failing wins. Rather vengeful gods, it would seem, demanded that he sacrifice Iphigeneia. Just as he was supposed to kill her, she was transformed into a sacred deer. The ritual went ahead.

Sacred deer: victim, sacrificial, a motive for revenge?

Lanthimos tells his story in linear narrative but, what happens along the way means that there are dramatic gaps in the narrative, unexpected twists and turns, keeping the audience on its mental toes, so to speak.

In Cincinnati, Colin Farrell, who appeared in Lobster, is a surgeon, Steven Murphy (and with his own Irish accent), the opening image being of open cut surgery, the camera gazing, as we do, at intestines. Steven has a good reputation although some have died during surgery he performed – including the father of a rather enigmatic teenager, Martin (Barry Keegan) who keeps appearing at Steven’s office, or in a diner, or in walks, with Steven giving him the gift of a watch. So, we are immediately on the alert and questioning the relationship between Steven and Martin.

At home, Steven’s wife, Anna (Nicole Kidman) is strong-minded but often a touch of the lenient with her two children, teenage Kim (Raffey Cassidy) and younger son, Bobby (Sunny Suljic).

Then it becomes rather mysterious, perhaps psychosomatic, perhaps psychological, with Bobby unable to stand, going to the hospital, having tests, Steven sitting in on group analysis of what is wrong with his son. Kim, who has something of a relationship with Martin, riding on his motorbike, at one stage being sexually provocative, suddenly collapses and cannot stand.

So begins a period of greater anxiety for father and mother, for the children disabled in hospital, for their returning home. There are further complications with Steven’s anaesthetist, Matthew, also a family friend (Bill Camp) and Anna trying to get information from files and paying up sexually.

Ultimately, the film turns to touches of horror and violence, the pressure on Steven, his bizarre Agamemnon moments and the question of sacrificing a member of his family, which means that Martin is something of a vengeful God (although Steven has brutal moments with him as well). In the Iliad, Agamemnon is able to sail to Troy and for the Greeks ultimately to defeat the Trojans. No such triumphant outcomes here… just some survival.

Strange, even alienating, to watch – but it offers so much to reflect on.


1. The title? The reference to Greek mythology? Agamemnon going to Troy, needing favourable winds, the demands of the gods, Iphigeneia, turning into a deer, the sacrifice?

2. The director, his offbeat perspective in his films? Greece and his heritage? The American setting? The awards?

3. The film considered as realism? The film considered as a psychological drama? With horror touches? The audience adjusting to the different moods of the film?

4. The visuals, the city, the views, homes, hospital, hospital corridors? The use of close-ups, extreme close-ups to capture the characters faces?

5. The musical score, classical music, chorale, discordant music and sounds? Atmospheric?

6. The opening, the focus on surgery? Audience response to open surgery? The role of surgeons, anaesthetists? Success, failures, deaths? Issues of blame, issues of responsibility?

7. Colin Farrell and Steven? His age, accent, and America? His appearance, his beard? At work, surgery, the scenes at the hospital, the corridors? His relationship with Anna? The scenes at home, with the children, decisions, discipline, the meals? The sexual relationship with Anna and her lying provocatively on the bed?

8. Anna, Nicole Kidman, direct in her communication, blunt, her relationship with Steven, sexual? The years? Her attitude towards the children, allowing them freedom, yet her demands? The house, the meals, ordinary life?

9. Kim, her age, going to school, music, the friendship with Martin, riding the bike, alone in the room, the sexual approach? Bobby, his age, the touch of the sullen?

10. Steven and Martin, the meetings, audience suspicions about the relationship between the two? The discussions, the diner? Discussions about the watch with the anaesthetist? The gift of the watch, the metal band, Martin and changing it? His turning up at the hospital without notice? Steven warning him? The walks, the talk? The emerging information about the death of Martin’s father? The visit to his mother, her approach, the comment about beautiful hands? Martin leaving? Martin telling Anna about this episode?

11. Martin, his age, his mother, the death of his father? How affected? His memories, blame? His continual presence? Talking with Steven, the gifts, the watch, eating? Inviting Steven home? Martin’s mother? His hold over Steven, the threats?

12. Bobby, in bed, not able to get up? Physical, psychosomatic, psychological? Steven’s reaction, Anna more supportive? Believing Bobby or not? Going to the hospital, the range of tests, his staying, the meetings of the doctors and their discussions? Kim, her walking, sudden collapse, the camera overview of her collapse? In hospital? The children together in the board? Steven’s visits? Anna staying? Trying to get him to eat, inability? Kim and her standing and going to the window, looking at Martin? Anna not seeing him?
The two and the deterioration? The decision to take them home? Kim, defying her mother, the issue of the mobile phone?

13. The audience puzzling as to what is happening to the children? A curse? Martin’s effect? Some sacrifice, revenge, atonement?

14. The anaesthetist, his role in the hospital, friendship with Steven, the couple going home to the house, the meal? Anna talking with him, persuading him to get the information – and the cost, the masturbation sequence?

15. Steven, imprisoning Martin, tying him up, the brutality and the hitting? Anna’s reaction? The gun and threats? Anna letting Martin go?

16. Bobby, the blood coming from his eyes, the deterioration? The effect on Steven? Waking Anna? Tying her up, tying the children up? The pillow slips over their heads? His own balaclava? His twirling himself around with the rifle, random shooting? The several attempts? Killing Bobby?

17. The transition to the diner, the parents and Kim present? The meal? Martin and his healing, coming into the diner, watching? Kim watching him? The family leaving, the close-up on Martin?

18. The overall impact of the film on the audience? Emotional? Intellectual? Psychological and mythological perspectives?