The film The Killing of a Sacred Deer features a central element of gradual paralysis and internal bleeding afflicting the family of Steven Murphy. The precise agent causing these symptoms is never explicitly stated, and remains shrouded in a sense of mythological or supernatural causation rather than clinical toxicology. It is implied that Martin, the troubled teenager, is the instrument through which this affliction manifests, effectively enacting a curse or retribution.
The ambiguity surrounding the exact nature of the illness serves several narrative purposes. It enhances the film’s unsettling atmosphere, blurring the lines between reality and the inexplicable. Furthermore, it shifts the focus from the physical ailment itself to the ethical and moral dilemmas faced by the characters as they grapple with the consequences and attempt to understand the inexplicable suffering imposed upon them. The lack of a concrete explanation allows the audience to interpret the events through various lenses, including themes of guilt, responsibility, and the fragility of life.
