Online, while watching some videos, I stumbled upon this one from a movie scene. It kind of caught my attention and left me confused at the same time. I mean, what's it about eating a burger that was so consequential to the movie to have that scene circulating online? What was it about that seemed a definitive and important moment for the character? What was the movie about? These questions were necessary because I didn't know the movie.
Let's get into the movie. The Menu is a horror/comedy film released in 2022. If you're wondering whether it has anything to do with food, you're right. The movie features a wonderful cast of Ralph Fiennes as Chef Slowik, Anya Taylor-Joy as Margot, Nicholas Hoult as Tyler, Hong Chau as Elsa, Janet McTeer as Lilian, Judith Light as Anne, and John Leguizamo as Movie Star. It was directed by Mark Mylod and written by Seth Reiss.
The movie follows a foodie, Tyler who travelled to an exclusive restaurant on an island, together with his date, Margot to experience a lavish menu, something he seemed to love. Other recognisable faces were also going there. The likes of celebrities and even a well-known food critic. For Tyler, it wasn't going to be anything short of an amazing and crazy experience. He couldn't wait for it and couldn't care less about anything but tasting the menu.
The presence of everyone there was based on an exclusive invitation by the renowned and astonishing Chef Slowik. Tyler was a wealthy young man, and if there was one thing seemingly common with all the guests is that they were all wealthy, with some even famous. Well, except for Margot, who happened to not be of the same class. Moreover, she wasn't actually supposed to be there with Tyler. He brought her to fill in for his failed initial date.
On the island and in the restaurant, they later realised there was more to the exclusive invitation. Secrets unfolded along the line, with the biggest being why they were actually there. It happened that Chef Slowik didn't just specifically and specially invite these individuals, but he had something up his sleeve and something to let off his chest in the way he thought was best; through the exclusive invitation to the lavish menu.
The thrill of the movie was nothing short of interesting. The thrills and the message of the movie became louder as it progressed, with a remarkable ending that left it louder and clearer. It's a movie about a chef's concern for his craft and the desire to fix the wrongs and the disrespect it has received. But it was beyond just that. It was a lesson in life, and in every skill and craft; how they should be treated, especially by people of high status.
About the actors and their performances, Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy were wonderful. The cold-looking Chef Slowik, clinical and focused on achieving his goal was a character Ralph Fiennes really portrayed. Anya Taylor-Joy played her character, Margot well. Commendable is also the performance of Nicholas Hoult. I mean, his character was annoying. To have really made him annoying, he did his job well. The other actors did carry their characters too.
On the flip side, some scenes seem not to explain or say much. I understand that thrillers are meant to do all that but they should provide answers later, which weren't really found for some of the actions or scenes. It's not the kind of horror you might expect. Nevertheless, it was a well-put movie and the title alone should pique one's interest. It doesn't just do that, the movie carries one through that experience. The Menu is certainly a good watch.
Thank you for reading!
Rating: 80/100
