Scarlett Worthington’s review published on Letterboxd:
The fact this is my least favourite Lanthimos but I still think it’s absolutely brilliant, says a lot.
As always with a Lanthimos film, we are taken into a dark and/or peculiar world and situation as if it’s completely normal. This paired with the monotone performances create the most disturbingly intriguing of atmospheres. The Killing of a Sacred Deer executes this massively.
The operatic introduction playing over the disturbing yet entrancing take of an operation instantly set up the approach this film is taking (and when I saw the film was bookended with the dramatic opera music I was very happy). Although we are introduced to quite a normal family (well normal in Lanthimos terms) there is a sense of something bad that’s looming. The piercing sound effects that peel through the dialogue create this strong sense of unease as well as multiple slow-zoom takes. You constantly think that something bad will happen but the film always edges off for just that little bit longer until it literally can not be hidden any longer. Little peculiar things hinting to something bigger happen instead, which make this film extremely anxiety-inducing, but in the best way of course.
What I love about Lanthimos is that he takes you into this dark and seemingly emotionless world. He completely commits to this style and approach so that you accept it with ease. But what makes him masterful is that he still allows for little moments of pure emotion, and since emotion is peculiar in this world, it’s so much more effective.
It’s a disturbingly beautiful film.
