10 Movies You Turned Off After The Opening Scene

Any film that begins with REAL open heart surgery is going to grab your attention - whether that keeps you watching remains to be seen. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, a Greek writer, producer and photographer, TKOASD is a strange creature; it's painfully slow, the dialogue is minimal, stunted and distinctly peculiar, and the plot is depressingly predictable (especially if you know anything about Greek tragedies). Despite all this, it's a mesmerising experience.

Stephen Murphy, a cardiovascular surgeon, meets regularly with Martin, a strange teenager who appears to have some unknown connection with Stephen. As the movie spills into the second act, it becomes clear that Stephen is in some way responsible for the death of Martin's father and Martin has no intention of letting it slide without some form of payment.

The opening sequence depicts open heart surgery in full HD, something thematically relevant (affairs of the heart, the fragility of life itself) and quite graphic - this was no prop. The next scene is the first of many sinister, slow and vaguely threatening scenes which Martin and Stephen share in the diner. By this point, many will be feeling that awkward, slow-burning, dangerous pull of the story and choose to not get sucked in.

This is an art-house experience that many viewers will not want to sit through initially, or indeed return to. It's well worth taking a chance with though - the final act is both chilling and baffling, with appropriately ice cold performances all round.