The Menu

The Menu

A young couple travels to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.

  • Released:
  • Runtime: 108 minutes
  • Genre: Comedy, Horror
  • Stars: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes, Nicholas Hoult, Hong Chau, John Leguizamo, Judith Light, Rob Yang, Reed Birney, Janet McTeer, Aimee Carrero, Paul Adelstein, Mark St. Cyr, Rebecca Koon, Peter Grosz, Christina Brucato, Adam Aalderks
  • Director: Mark Mylod
 Comments
  • Clintborari - 21 June 2024
    "You represent the ruin of my art and my life, and now you get to be a part of it"
    I was drawn to this film by random snippets on Facebook videos that gave it a mysterious and thrilling vibe. I was not disappointed; however, it takes time to ease into the film. At one point, I thought, "Hmmm, this has a lot of story build-ups, and a bit of a slow burn making it probably a one-time watch," but it started to garner interest the longer it goes on.

    By the end, I felt like I had seen a modernised portrayal of a cult film like The Wicker Man.

    The Menu is worth seeing. The ridiculously outlandish dishes provide moments of hilarity, especially with Tyler's (Nicholas Hoult) obsession with the chef and the way he prepares his food. The scene where Tyler is forced to cook is both a moment of amusement ending with a dark twist.

    Hong Chau as Elsa is devilishly unlikable in a robotic and hypnotizing way. Ralph Fiennes (Chef Slowik) can be described in one word: incredible. Apart from Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter, I had never really recognized Ralph Fiennes in any other role, but in The Menu, he is wickedly good. His poise, witty one-liners, and expressions give off a chilling undertone as he commands and controls every scene, being the cornerstone of this production.

    Nicholas Hoult, of late, has flown back into major roles. I vaguely remember him as the older brother of Effie in Skins, but recent films like Renfield, The Menu, and Catherine The Great have reconfigured and reinvigorated him into a leading contender who can hold a film as a major lead.

    Anya Taylor-Joy as Margot gives an honest performance, I did not feel she was as strong as Ralph or Nicholas, but she is a fine supporting actor. In the Menu she has a mysterious backstory that unfolds throughout the film. Her character becomes quite enthralling and has more depth than on the surface as you want to know the other tiny details of her past and her linkage to other male characters in the film.

    The island setting, modern architecture, and outlandish dishes bring about a tempting narrative that plods along at a steady pace. There are witty, humorous one-liners which add significant diversity and character to make The Menu really stand out. There is a beautiful backstory about mind of Chef Slowik, and why this event is unfolding, which is deftly touched upon nearing the closing stages of the film, rounding up a solid core for the film.

    The diners also give a mesmerizing performance of anticipation. From exquisite foodies and movie stars to food connoisseurs, they all bask in the fear of being trapped in a game, brought together for distinct reasons, culminating in a climactic scope of being part of the menu.

    7/10.
  • diegelj-63837 - 10 May 2024
    Order Up
    Had so much fun watching this even though it takes a very dark turn, it manages to relate and connect in a really smart style and wit. There are so many good things that happen in this film, one of them being Ralph Fiennes as the chef that is in every way the glue holding the world together in this storyline. There's so much talent in this film with amazing work by Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, John Leguizamo, Judith Light, Hong Chau, Janet Mc Teer. I found myself laughing and then being immediately uncomfortable and vice versa with every passing minute. It's a journey worth taking all within the confines of a high end reclusive restaurant that puts its specials on full display.
  • mochteam - 18 March 2024
    Felt like it was missing something
    This movie had a good cast and a good plot but I feel like it seemed to rush in too quickly and should have developed more before jumping right into the horror element of it.

    I don't know when the angry obsessed chef became such a thing in the culinary world. Maybe after Gordon Ramsay appeared but before that Chefs were seen as jolly people eager to serve up a good meal.

    Somehow it just turned into some angry jerk obsessing over overpriced dishes they create because that made good tv.

    This movie aims to strike at the later by focusing on why the chef is so angry and obsessive and the movie is sort of a presentation on that with a simple but valued message at the end.

    I sort of enjoyed the concept because I like shows like kitchen nightmares and blizzard horrors like this but at the end of the day I'm just going to remember Anna Lovejoy eating a giant cheeseburger and holding it like it was a handbag.

    That's my takeaway from this movie.
  • grimmy-51186 - 13 January 2023
    Very entertaining and original
    There are not many films like this, the only other I can think of is Perfume - story of a murderer. The film is probably best taken solely for entertainment value there are hints of some kind of deeper meaning, but these don't go much of anywhere.

    What's so good about this film is how it can be taken for entertainment solely for entertaining, and its entrancing and refreshing to see without traditional hollywood stereotypes or even trying to push some indie cultural meaning which will doubtlessly have been beaten to death through the media and internet.

    The actors are superb and the plot is well executed, I'm glad films like this can still be made.,
  • gallagherkellie - 12 January 2023
    Not great
    I'm a little confused by the high rating (anything above a 7 is high in my opinion). I didn't hate it, I'd probably give it 4.5/10.

    Anja was good as always. The rest of the acting was also well done, I particularly liked the food critic and her assistant. Nicholas Hoult did a good job.

    As far as the story goes, I expected more. I was expecting a satirical horror movie, but there wasn't much horror. There were shocks and some blood, but I wouldn't classify it as horror.

    It took a good half hour for anything interesting to happen, and I was a little bored most of the movie. I didn't find it funny - not sure if I was meant to?

    All in all a good idea but not executed well.
  • jim-p - 11 January 2023
    Made me sick
    In my forties, very little things can make me sick,. This movie has done it and I would consider that a praise if it weren't for those things other reviewers mentioned. First half of the movie was good with tremendous potential, easy 7 or 8 out of 10, then it fell apart like a cheap horror movie with plot holes and pretentious writing.

    The acting and photography was good, the casting ok, but the suspension of disbelief was all over the place, I was binge watching Jack Ryan season 3 this past weekend, couldn't put it down, had me so hooked with great writing but the menu had me questioning things in the second part constantly.
  • belindaliley - 9 January 2023
    Sounded promising..
    Can't believe this has a rating over 5 . Sounded quite good, but soon turned into a silly farce. I know it was supposed to be a sort of comedy, but I couldn't find anything funny or interesting in it. Perhaps if there were a few laughs it might have been worth watching.lets face it who would pay to go to an island, while knowing after you've eaten you are going to be killedšŸ¤£. Ridiculous!. Good actors couldn't save this, they deserved so much more than this story line. Maybe they were behind on their mortgage payments and needed a quick injection of money. So glad I didn't pay actual money to see it. Waste of time.
  • sgriess - 8 January 2023
    WORST MOVIE EVER
    Save your time and money Waste of of both

    Movie with absolutely no point or meaning, nothing in it makes sense, its pointless dribble... trying to make us subservient to the upcoming madness across the country

    Not once did anyone try to fight back... after they said they were all going to die like right away... not one tries to fight this is a message to make us SUBSERVIENT

    Save your time and money Waste of of both

    Movie with absolutely no point or meaning, nothing in it makes sense, its pointless dribble... trying to make us subservient to the upcoming madness across the country

    Not once did anyone try to fight back... after they said they were all going to die like right away... not one tries to fight this is a message to make us SUBSERVIENT.
  • martinpreston-88801 - 8 January 2023
    Why did no one get up!?
    I only let my gf put it on because it had Anya in it. Got a few other seasoned actors too. After the film finished all I could think of is what Ralph Feines said. Why did no one get up and rush them? It's so stupid. I feel the only reason people gave this film is a high score is because they want to appear enlightened by such a pretentious film. If you say this film is a master piece you are as bad as Margot's client trying to suck up to the head chef.

    The music was nice and reminds me of Max Richter. The cinema photography was also pretty decent.

    It wasn't bad but not great. I watched Terminator 2 the night before. You can't beat that.
  • kdcrowley-28003 - 8 January 2023
    Loved Hated Loved Hated Loved
    I loved then hated then loved then hated this magnificent film.

    Each course of The Menu took me to a new place. Feelings of sympathy and dread, admiration and disgust, hope and dismay stalked me as we moved from course to course.

    I recognized myself. I saw friends and foes represented throughout the film.

    The casting is spot on. The acting sublime. The writing torturously exquisite. The direction diabolically divine.

    I watch a lot of movies. I'm rarely surprised. This flick inflicted one surprise after another.

    And as for subtext, The Menu is a seven layer cake. Sweet. Savory. Salty. Subtle. Sickly sweet. It pushed all my buttons. Love. Hate. Fear. Longing. Indigestion.

    I'm spent.

    Check please...

    P. S. As it usually does, dessert left me unimpressed with a mild sugar high.