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| “ | I don't know if what is happening is fair, but it's the only thing I can think of that's close to justice. | „ |
| ~ Martin Lang. |
Martin Lang is the main antagonist of the 2017 film The Killing of a Sacred Deer written and directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.
He was portrayed by Barry Keoghan, who also played The Joker in the 2022 film The Batman and Oliver Quick in Saltburn.
Personality[]
At a first impression, Martin is a very kind, charming young man who can seem to get along with just about anyone. Even at his most monstrous, he speaks in a very casual, almost friendly manner, as if what he's doing is completely normal, implying a complete absence of remorse for his actions.
Biography[]
Before the events of the film, Martin's father dies in surgery at the hands of heart surgeon Steven Murphy, who its revealed was drunk during the procedure. Steven begins bonding with Martin, sharing meals together and exchanging gifts. He is then introduced to Steven's wife Anna and two children Kim and Bob, whom he gets along with splendidly.
As Martin begins wanting to spend more time with Steven, expressing a subtextual desire for Steven to become his new father, Steven begins pushing Martin away and is soon forced to break contact with each other. One morning, Bob wakes up and claims to have lost feeling in his legs, despite numerous tests revealing no injury to his spine or brain. Martin then sees Steven, revealing that he is the cause for Bob's affliction, saying that his paralysis is the first stage of his curse, which will then culminate into a refusal to eat or drink, and then end with bleeding from the eyes until they die in a few hours. Martin promises his daughter and wife will also suffer the same fate if he does not kill one of them.
After his daughter is afflicted as well, and nothing can medically be done to help his children, Steven kidnaps Martin and tortures him in his basement to end his torment, but after realizing that Martin will not concede to his demands, Anna lets him go. Soon, Bob begins suffering from the final stage of Martin's curse, forcing Steven to gather his family and kill off one at random (Bob).
A while after, Steven and his family enter his and Steven's usual food spot when Kim, his daughter begins to eat her food. As Martin stares at them curiously, the family then leave.