Review of The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017) by Petros T — 17 Jan 2018

SPOILERS: An interesting failure. I'd like to think that the monotone performances are a stylistic choice - the boy casts a spell on the family and they are essentially spellbound and sleepwalk their way through the film - all of the other characters we encounter have just a little more life to them. And was the family poisoned? Did they ever drink the mother's lemonade?

Ultimately it's the final act that leaves one unsatisfied. Witchcraft is only hinted at. Too easy. You need to believe in what you are selling, and you need to have the courage to go all in as a filmmaker. You can't leave your audience dangling by empty ambiguities. A more "by the book" climax might have actually worked better in this case - what if the boy's mother is the actual witch - pulling her strings - the son her errand boy.

What could have been a modern day THE SHINING or CARRIE, turns out to be a weak, insecure replica - similar in tone and execution to more recent films like KILL LIST - another bizarre production that hints at witchcraft, and is just a cheap knock-off of THE WICKER MAN.

Technically speaking the director gets in his own way. Self conscious camera work that borders on parody. A fine line between inspiration and an outright copy. And there is only one Stanley Kubrick.