Around the 700 B.C.E., the Greek Theater started and with him, the search the concept of drama. When the audience witness theater they, know are about to see a moving and emotional portrait of life itself. Happy moments, drama and an epic conclusion. For Charles Baudelaire French poet and philosopher, the idea of love, marriage, pleasure is deeply connected to the dramatic story of Iphigenia from the Greek mythology.
Director Yorgos Lanthimos, director of the award-winning films Dogtooth and The Lobster contain dark humor and the non-sugar coded truth about life with metaphoric representations of love and family. Is worth saying that his films contain dramatic stories mimicking the Greek drama and perhaps some of the ideas express by Baudelaire.
The Killing of the Sacred Deer is one of the most disturbing films I have seen in a long time compare to films like entering The Void, Serbian Film, and Funny Games.
Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell) cardiothoracic surgeon is one of the most respect and highly skilled in his hospital. He is married to Anna (Nichole Kidman) and has two kids Bob and Kim. Steven secretly meets regularly with Martin (Barry Keoghan). As the story unveils the audience discovers every character motives, it seems like an unusual relationship borderline to love between Steven and Martin. But then the big revelation comes when the audience discovers that Martin's dad died in the operating room in the hands of Steven. Seems now like a relationship of guilt turning into revenge.
What makes The Killing of the Sacred Deer a very special film is how it dissects a family story of a successful couple living a very wealthy life with great kids and how a mistake will hunt you and chase till the end. The success cannot protect you from taking someone else life. Yorgos visual style mirrors Stanley Kubrick The Shining and Eyes Wide Shut. The camera travels with actors, follow them with distance but get close when is need it.