The Menu (2022)

 

We all like to be judgmental about everything; from the clothes we wear, to the places we go. It seems like we want to criticize everything that the world offers. Including food. Food is something that quite a lot of people take for granted, and they want to compliment themselves before they eat what is on their plate. That is where the recent film “The Menu” takes complimenting food to another dark territory. Conceived as a horror comedy, “The Menu” takes its obsession with food, and turns it into a place you do not want to go to. But it is rather fascinating while you watch it. There are a few questions that are not answered within the course of the movie, but the pacing more than makes up for by keeping the viewer engaged throughout the movie's run time. “The Menu” is a blend of suspense and comedy that keeps you on edge, and makes you really appreciate what goes on in constructing a meal.

The plot involves a group of people who are heading to a remote island where special meals are prepared. Under the supervision of chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes), everything at this restaurant has been meticulously planned, and everyone must enjoy it. However, with every bite being taken, there is a dark underside to the meals being prepared.

“The Menu” works exceptionally well within its presentation.

From the opening shot, to the grand finale, the movie keeps the viewer invested all the way through. This is partly due to the script written by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy, who keep up the suspense, and deliver a good laugh along the way. Speaking of which, it is rather rare to see a horror/suspense movie blend comedy so well, but “The Menu” does. In fact, there are quite a lot of moments which are particularly funny; the way each meal is presented is especially noteworthy, including the final meal. If you want a little chuckle with your scares, then “The Menu” is for you.

Another notable aspect of the film is the acting. All of the actors and actresses do exceptional jobs with the roles they are given, and this is coming from director Mark Mylod. In the past, Mark is best known for certain comedies, but his transition into horror is well-executed. The way the actors deliver their lines is perfect, and the way Mylod sets up the camera in order to create suspense works amazingly well. To elaborate, the way the food is presented, it almost feels like something out of an advertisement or a photo shoot.

As stated before, the acting is a wonderful highlight of the movie. Fiennes is malicious as possible; he has done various roles like this in the past, but here, Fiennes shows off a more comedic side to his acting. It's perfect and offers a unique taste- quite literally- of a diabolic person. As for the rest of the cast, which includes the likes of Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, Hong Chau and John Leguizamo, all doing their best. With Taylor-Joy being the most notable of the group.

She does a fantastic job as the character of Margot trying to figure out just what the hell is going, and makes some stunning revelations. Hoult is also good as a more comedic side of him comes out, and Chau is both powerful and menacing at the same time. Leguizamo, however, is having the time of his life; here, he plays an actor who hasn't had a decent hit, and the portrayal is which John is doing is almost like a parody of acting in general. Again, thanks to the clever script.

The rest of the movie is quite good. The cinematography is designed to be cramped as it is limited towards one singular set. The music by Colin Stetson brings forth a classical tone, as well as something darkly comic about the whole experience. The costumes fit each character perfectly and offer an insight into who they are. “The Menu” is an exceptional film that knows what it is trying to accomplish: be a parody of how high class restaurants present themselves to the public, and how the public perceives them.

With that being said, however, there are some issues with the film. The majority of them being from the story. Don't get me wrong, the story itself is intriguing, as stated before. But, there are some plot holes that are not addressed, plot elements that do not go anywhere, and other miscellaneous story structures that you obviously see coming. Also, the film raises a lot of questions that do not get resolved by the conclusion. If the movie had the proper time to explain things a bit more, then it would have been perfect.

In conclusion, “The Menu” is a delightful outlook with a nice blend of horror and comedy that will whet your appetite wanting more in the process.