“The Killing of a Sacred Deer” is a 2017 psychological horror film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. The film follows a successful heart surgeon named Steven Murphy (played by Colin Farrell) who befriends a teenage boy named Martin (played by Barry Keoghan) after Martin’s father dies on the operating table. As their relationship deepens, Steven’s family begins to experience strange and terrifying events, ultimately leading to a shocking ending that leaves many viewers confused. In this article, we will attempt to explain the ending of “The Killing of a Sacred Deer”.
Warning: Spoilers ahead.
The film’s climax occurs during a dinner party hosted by Steven and his wife Anna (played by Nicole Kidman). Martin, who has been revealed to have supernatural powers, forces Steven to make a terrible choice: either kill one member of his family to save the others, or watch as they all slowly and painfully die. Steven ultimately chooses to kill his own son Bob (played by Sunny Suljic) in order to save the rest of his family.
The ending of the film is left somewhat ambiguous. In the final scene, we see Steven and his family attending a choir concert in which their daughter Kim (played by Raffey Cassidy) is performing. The camera lingers on Martin, who is sitting among the audience, and the film ends with him standing up and walking out of the concert hall.
So, what does this ending mean? One interpretation is that Martin has achieved his revenge on Steven by forcing him to kill his own son. Martin’s father died during surgery performed by Steven, and it is suggested throughout the film that Martin has been manipulating Steven in order to exact his revenge. By leaving the concert hall, Martin is effectively saying that his work is done and he has achieved what he set out to do.
Another interpretation of the ending is that Martin’s departure represents the characters’ inability to escape the cycle of violence and revenge. Martin’s supernatural powers represent the unseen forces that perpetuate violence and destruction, and his departure suggests that these forces will continue to exist and cause harm even after the events of the film.
Overall, the ending of “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” is deliberately ambiguous, leaving it open to interpretation. It is a haunting and thought-provoking conclusion to a film that explores themes of revenge, guilt, and the darkness that lurks within human nature.