The Menu (2022)
The Menu is one of those films that toes the line between comedy, thriller and horror. Built off a brilliant premise — a renowned Chef hosts an exclusive dinner on a remote island which turns into a totally bizarre experience — it is at times amusing, shocking and intense, all in one fell swoop. However, it is also sadly lacking and uneven in how the story develops and eventually concludes, making for what strikes the eye as a mouth-watering meal, turn out to taste undercooked upon consumption.
We’re introduced to young couple — or at least we think they are — Margot (Anya Taylor Joy) and Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) joining a few other guests who are all heading to a prestigious dinner by boat. Tyler is clearly the more excited of the two as it is revealed that he is a huge food lover who is even more obsessed with the superstar celebrity chef hosting the dinner. Chef Slowik, played by Ralph Fiennes, is somewhat of an enigma. All the guests seem to revere him, none more than Tyler of course, but they are all in the dark regarding what exactly he is all about.
Why is he hosting his fancy dinner at a remote island? Why is he so isolated? These are some of the questions that they all wonder but not knowing is not enough to deter them from taking the curious journey to the island. After all, being able to attend such as an exclusive dinner is a status indicator in and of itself so a little mystery won’t hurt — if anything, it ought to add to the prestige — so they think.
It also makes for an interesting gathering, seeing that the guests consist of an eclectic group. There’s a food critic along with her editor, a wealthy married couple, three middle-aged douchebags of business partners, a fading movie star and his assistant, as well as a mysterious elderly lady, whose identity will be revealed to be crucial to the main plot of the film.
Once at the island, chef Slowik, with the assistance of his icy restaurant hostess Elsa, welcomes the guests and they all sit down for what promises to be an experience of a lifetime. We soon find out that the guests may not have been randomly selected foodies simply attending a posh dinner at a private island. Instead, there’s a more menacing reason as to why all are gathered there. The guests are also all connected, not only to Slowik but to each other in ways they couldn’t have imagined. What promised to be a night of paradise turns into a whirlwind of hell that comes out of nowhere.
Directed by Mark Mylod, The Menu is certainly ambitious despite its taut script. It aims to tell a tightly wound yet complex story that will keep its viewers interested in how unpredictable it is, all the while wanting to establish compelling motivations for its villain. But unfortunately, as the characters come into focus, the sum of its parts turns into a running through the motions affair, which eventually misses the mark of what seemed like a sparkling start.
As usual, Ralph Fiennes gives an excellent performance, as well as the usually loved Nicholas Hoult, whose Tyler is as pathetic as they come. But despite the somewhat convincing performances, the story fails to stick its landing and as a result The Menu is a meal one can eat but most likely won’t be going for seconds.