The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017) - Movies Like Parasite | Filmiway
Why This Class War Film Matters
The Killing of a Sacred Deer uses Greek tragedy to explore privilege. A surgeon's wealth cannot protect him from moral punishment; guilt is universal.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
The Experience
Cardiac surgeon Steven lives a perfect upper-class life until mysterious teenager Martin enters their world. Martin demands a horrifying sacrifice. Lanthimos's icy thriller is Greek tragedy as psychological horror.
Cast & Crew
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Starring: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan
Production Details
Budget: $6 million
Box Office: $6.9 million
Content Advisory
Contains: Nudity/Sexual Content
📊INTENSITY GRAPHIntensity GraphShows plot intensity
throughout the movie. Higher peaks
indicate more intense moments.
throughout the movie. Higher peaks
indicate more intense moments.
🧬CINEMATIC DNAGenre DNA BreakdownVisual representation of the movie's
genre composition. Larger segments
indicate dominant genre elements.
genre composition. Larger segments
indicate dominant genre elements.
Genre DNA Distribution
- Thriller: 50%
- Drama: 30%
- Horror: 20%
Movie Intensity Arc
- Minute 15: Martin Arrives (35/100 Intensity)
- Minute 45: Paralysis (55/100 Intensity)
- Minute 75: Sacrifice (75/100 Intensity)
- Minute 100: Choice (85/100 Intensity)
- Minute 118: Punishment (90/100 Intensity)
Community Reviews
Frequently Asked Questions About The Killing of a Sacred DeerFAQ About The Killing of a Sacred Deer
Common questions about The Killing of a Sacred Deer and its exploration of class warfare and social inequality.
What is the myth behind the story?
The film is a modern retelling of the Greek myth of Iphigenia. King Agamemnon killed a sacred deer belonging to Artemis, and to balance the scales, he had to sacrifice his daughter. Here, the surgeon (Agamemnon) accidentally killed Martin's father (the deer), and Martin (Artemis) demands a blood sacrifice in return.
Why is the acting so wooden and deadpan?
Yorgos Lanthimos directs his actors to speak in a stilted, emotionless monotone. This Brechtian technique creates a sense of detachment and uncanniness. It highlights the absurdity of the upper class's polite facade, which cracks only when faced with primal, supernatural violence.
What does the spaghetti eating scene signify?
It is one of the most unsettling scenes in modern horror. Martin eats spaghetti messily while explaining his plan to destroy Steven's family. The contrast between the mundane act of eating and the horrific threat emphasizes Martin's total lack of empathy and the inevitability of the curse.
Is there a logical explanation for the illness?
No, and the film refuses to give one. The doctors' inability to diagnose the paralysis represents the failure of science and rationality against cosmic justice. Steven, a man of science (surgeon), is forced to accept a supernatural reality where 'an eye for an eye' is the only law that matters.
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Curated by Filmiway Editorial Team
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