The Killing of a Sacred Deer

Name: The Killing of a Sacred Deer
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Genre: Drama
Released: 2017-10-20
Duration: 2h 1m
Rating: 7.0
Cast: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan, Raffey Cassidy, Sunny Suljic

R Oct 20, 2017 Drama · Two hours of deliberately slow, methodical pacing that builds unbearable tension.

Solid crowd-pleaser

7.0/10

IMDb

79%

Fresh

73/100

Metacritic

★

3.7/5

Letterboxd

🎬

7.0/10

TMDB

Before you watch

Modern Greek tragedy told with Lanthimos deadpan style and surgical coldness

Rewatch

one and done

Attention

full focus

Phone-check

low

Ages

holds up

The brief

Lanthimos turns Greek tragedy into deeply uncomfortable psychological horror, with Colin Farrell delivering lines in that signature deadpan monotone that makes every conversation feel like a hostage negotiation. Barry Keoghan is genuinely unnerving as the teen who slowly tightens his grip on Farrell's family, and the clinical, sterile atmosphere builds dread so effectively you'll feel physically tense by the third act. The pacing is deliberately icy and methodical, letting each bizarre interaction marinate in awkwardness until you're squirming in your seat. Perfect for fans of The Lobster or anyone who loves arthouse films that crawl under your skin and stay there.

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The verdict

If you crave arthouse psychological horror that builds unbearable tension through deliberate pacing and deadpan dialogue, this is essential viewing that will burrow deep under your skin. If you prefer conventional storytelling or can't handle two hours of clinical awkwardness and deeply uncomfortable family dynamics, you'll find this pretentious and painfully slow.