The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017) is a slow-burning, unsettling psychological horror-drama that places a picture-perfect family at the center of an increasingly surreal moral nightmare. You follow Dr. Steven Murphy, a celebrated cardiovascular surgeon whose life begins unraveling after a fatherless teenager he’s taken under his wing insinuates himself into the household. At first the gestures seem benign—gifts, dinners—but the boy’s true purpose soon reveals itself in a cold, ritualistic demand for retribution that forces Steven to confront a long-buried transgression. Watching the film is an exercise in mounting dread and ethical claustrophobia: Lanthimos-like deadpan dialogue, sterile visuals, and moments of dark, absurd humor combine to make you feel both fascinated and deeply uncomfortable. The story evolves from social awkwardness into a harrowing moral dilemma—an impossible choice whose consequences ripple across the family—leaving viewers to wrestle with guilt, justice, and sacrifice. This is an art-house horror experience: precise, eerie, and emotionally brutal, best suited for audiences who want tension, moral ambiguity, and a finale that lingers long after the credits.

Actors: Barry G. Bernson, Herb Caillouet, Bill Camp

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Runtime: 121 min

Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery

6.6 /10 73 /100 7.0 /10 7.0 /10