The Killing of a Sacred Deer starts with an open heart surgery — an early clue that squeamish viewers may want to fast forward through pretty much every scene. The plot follows a doctor named Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell) who accidentally killed a patient while under the influence of alcohol. Without accepting blame, Murphy is trying to make amends by befriending the patient's son, an unusual boy by the name of Martin (Barry Keoghan). Unfortunately for the surgeon, it seems Martin possesses godlike powers, and he's looking for revenge.
Hoping to find justice, Martin curses Murphy's family. The surgeon's children (Raffey Cassidy, Sunny Suljic) lose the ability to walk and the desire to eat. Martin promises that soon they'll start bleeding from their eyes, and after that, they'll die. If Murphy wants to lift the spell, he'll have to murder one of his own family members. Naturally, Murphy is a little reluctant to kill one of his kids, but as they grow sicker, he slowly realizes what he has to do. Near the end of the film, the surgeon ties up his family (including his wife, played by Nicole Kidman), and places bags on their heads before he pulls a hat over his eyes, spins in circles around the room with a rifle, and randomly stops to pull the trigger.
It's an excruciating scene, especially since Murphy keeps missing. In a movie meant to make you cringe and cry out in agony, this horrid moment will send you scrambling for the remote.
