The Menu (2022) - Movie Review
- Red
- Feb 26, 2023
- 3 min read
Directed by Mark Mylod
The Menu, directed by Mark Mylod (Succession, Game of Thrones) is a tense, gripping film that succeeds in keeping the audience on edge throughout its 100+ minute runtime.
The 2022 movie is a thriller blended with satirical comedy and elements of horror. The audience watches as a number of wealthy individuals are invited to a private island to be served food by world-famous chef, Julian Slowik. Soon enough, the diners realise that something about the restaurant experience isn't quite right, before witnessing some shocking surprises.
Mild spoilers follow...
Intrigue builds throughout the film as the mystery unfolds. We learn information about the chef concurrently with the diners, and Ralph Fiennes does a fantastic job of playing the mysterious, multi-dimensional Chef Slowik whilst also giving the character a little humanity. In no way does his character come off as cartoonish. His monologues are enthralling; he certainly is a master of his craft, as proven in some of his other roles in the likes of the Harry Potter franchise and The Grand Budapest Hotel. Hong Chau adds an extra layer of creepiness to the film, whilst Anya Taylor-Joy succeeds in making the audience root for her character. Nicholas Hoult plays an avid foodie and John Leguizamo plays a well-known actor. Both add humour throughout that thankfully doesn't disrupt the tension.
Watching The Menu, I couldn't take my eyes away from the screen, waiting to see where the next twist would take the film. The writers and director of the movie brilliantly keep the audience hooked - not an easy feat, considering that the majority of the movie takes place in one setting. The cinematography ensures that all the shots look interesting; setting the film in one location doesn't become monotonous in the slightest.
For me, a standout moment from the film is the sequence featuring Dale the coastguard. The stakes and suspense is at its highest point, and the moment truly shows the power and intelligence of the Chef. It features great acting by up-and-coming actor Matthew Cornwell also.
The concept of The Menu is wonderful, but what really makes the film so great is the way the various aspects of filmmaking compliment each other. The score keeps tension high, the screenplay knows when to add a small dose of humour, the camera knows how long it should linger on a particular shot, the direction pulls spectacular performances from the actors, and the food itself reinforces the humour and satirical nature of the film, poking jabs at critics, foodies and modern culture as a whole.
The violence does a good job of making me squirm, but is cautious not to go over the top. The brief action sequences don't feel misplaced, and excellently keep the viewer on edge. In many ways, the movie is reminiscent of the horror genre, but never goes too far - there is violence, but the film doesn't linger on it for too long, and there are no jump-scares at all. It is creepy however, with the character of Chef Slowik and his ruthless ways surprising the viewer continuously.
The antagonist of the film, Julian Slowik is remarkable. He has understandable motives - he isn't killing and punishing the diners randomly; the guests he invited to the island played a part in making the food industry what it has become, therefore diminishing his love for cooking . As the film comes to a close, we witness Slowik sparing the life of one of the guests after serving them a food close to his heart. Although he is ruthless, the Chef only wishes to harm the pretentious guests who have had a negative impact on the craft that he cares for so deeply.
Unfortunately, The Menu wasn't nominated for any Oscars, but Fiennes & Taylor-Joy's performances were both nominated for Golden Globes. I believe that the film deserves all the praise it's received, and more. Despite the fact that it doesn't do anything massively ground-breaking for the movie genres it resides in, it is absolutely one of the films that I enjoyed the most of recent times.
I highly recommend The Menu as one of the most entertaining films of 2022. It's an unpredictable thriller featuring amazing performances and very clever storytelling.
Watch The Menu on Disney Plus
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