10 Best A24 Horror Films

Successful heart surgeon Steven lives an ideal life with his beautiful wife and children. But when strange teenager Martin puts a hex on the doctor's household in revenge for accidentally killing his father, Steven must sacrifice one of his family members before they all die.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer’s horror lies in its lack of exposition. The film doesn’t immediately give you the backstory on Steven and Martin’s bizarre relationship, letting a sense of dread build as Martin becomes more obsessive. While we never get an explanation for the boy's supernatural powers, the wide-angle, Kubrickian camera work gives off the impression that there are unnatural forces at play.

Yorgos Lanthimos’ blunt, darkly funny dialogue creates an artificial world that places etiquette above everything else. The supernatural twist shatters the formalities and brings out the family’s selfish nature, and you can’t help but laugh at the cast’s deadpan delivery of such cruel, brutally honest lines.

Each actor gives an exceptional performance, but Barry Keoghan steals the show as Martin. He’s believable as both a naive teenager and a terrifying sociopath, all without raising his voice or showing anger. His performance makes it clear that Martin takes no pleasure in getting his revenge. All he wants is an eye for an eye, which makes him more frightening than any monster or demon.