The Killing of a Sacred Deer

LIFF31 2017 #1 "A surgeon never kills a patient. An anaesthesiologist can kill a patient, but a surgeon never can". "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" is a mixture of horror, comedy, thriller, and mystery all wrapped up in one bizarre, but brilliant crafted film. Even when you don't fully follow what going on, it at least keeps you interested and engaged. The audience reaction to this was the highlight. Everyone cringed at the brutal parts. Unpredictable is the best compliment I can say. I literally had no idea where it was going and kept surprising me with each scene. I'm kinda lost words with this one. This is me still progressing. The score was brilliant. Having this blast of a roar which shook up the room and was really eerie. The intensity continues to grow as the film moves on, but has it's fair of moments for dark humor. Even the camera work had a Stanley Kubrick vibe. This might be my favorite film from Yorgos Lanthimos.

Would have been a 10, if not for one thing: Lanthimos does not understand tragedy. It is not a catharsis, as was the goal of this film; but, rather, an integration of the Apollonian and Dionysian. Indeed, as far as the film goes, in this regard, it tends towards the former over the latter – not a fault, per se; though one wishes that Iphigenia was killed instead of the accidental deer.