MOVIE

Painstakingly prepared. Brilliantly executed.
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.

Adult Status :
Movie ID : 593643
Movie Language : en
Original Title: The Menu
Popularity : 339.732
Release : 2022-11-17
Movie Title : The Menu
Rate : 7.3
Vote Count : 2034
Genre IDs : 35,27,53
Genres : Comedy, Horror, Thriller
Tagline : Painstakingly prepared. Brilliantly executed.
Revenue : 76849419
Runtime : 107
Status : Released

Movie Collection

Collection ID :
Collection Name :

Movie Production Studio

Company Name : Gary Sanchez Productions
Budget : 35000000
HomePage : https://searchlightpictures.com/the-menu
IMDB ID : tt9764362
Country Code : US
Country Name :
Spoken Language : English
Company ID : 4740
Company Logo : [COMPANYLOGO]
Company Country : US

Video

 

Casts and Crews

Cast

1. Ralph Fiennes ( Ralph Fiennes ) Acting as Chef Julian Slowik




2. Anya Taylor-Joy ( Anya Taylor-Joy ) Acting as Margot Mills




3. Nicholas Hoult ( Nicholas Hoult ) Acting as Tyler Ledford




4. Hong Chau ( Hong Chau ) Acting as Elsa




5. Janet McTeer ( Janet McTeer ) Acting as Lillian




6. Paul Adelstein ( Paul Adelstein ) Acting as Ted




7. John Leguizamo ( John Leguizamo ) Acting as Movie Star




8. Aimee Carrero ( Aimee Carrero ) Acting as Felicity




9. Reed Birney ( Reed Birney ) Acting as Richard Leibrandt




10. Judith Light ( Judith Light ) Acting as Anne




11. Rebecca Koon ( Rebecca Koon ) Acting as Linda




12. Rob Yang ( Rob Yang ) Acting as Bryce




13. Arturo Castro ( Arturo Castro ) Acting as Soren




14. Mark St. Cyr ( Mark St. Cyr ) Acting as Dave




15. Peter Grosz ( Peter Grosz ) Acting as Sommelier




16. Christina Brucato ( Christina Brucato ) Acting as Katherine




17. Adam Aalderks ( Adam Aalderks ) Acting as Jeremy




18. Jon Paul Allyn ( Jon Paul Allyn ) Acting as Boat Waiter




19. Mel Fair ( Mel Fair ) Acting as Boatman




20. Cristian Gonzalez ( Cristian Gonzalez ) Acting as Server 1




21. Matthew Cornwell ( Matthew Cornwell ) Acting as Dale / Coast Guard Officer




22. John Wilkins III ( John Wilkins III ) Acting as Server 2




23. John Cola ( John Cola ) Acting as Chef (uncredited)




24. Michael A. Dean ( Michael A. Dean ) Acting as Chef (uncredited)




25. Marcus Aveons Duncan ( Marcus Aveons Duncan ) Acting as Chef (uncredited)




26. Alexander Goldstein ( Alexander Goldstein ) Acting as Chef (uncredited)




27. Grant Henley ( Grant Henley ) Acting as Chef (uncredited)




28. Brandon Herron ( Brandon Herron ) Acting as Front of House (uncredited)




29. Elbert Kim ( Elbert Kim ) Acting as Police Officer (uncredited)




30. Melisa Lopez ( Melisa Lopez ) Acting as Police Officer (uncredited)




31. A. Jae Michele ( A. Jae Michele ) Acting as Chef (uncredited)




32. Jay Shadix ( Jay Shadix ) Acting as Front of House (uncredited)




33. Rachel Trautmann ( Rachel Trautmann ) Acting as Chef (uncredited)




34. Victor Zheng ( Victor Zheng ) Acting as Chef (uncredited)

Crew

1. Mary Vernieu ( Mary Vernieu ) Production, Job: Casting From Department of Production




2. Christopher Tellefsen ( Christopher Tellefsen ) Editing, Job: Editor From Department of Editing




3. Peter Deming ( Peter Deming ) Camera, Job: Director of Photography From Department of Camera




4. Will Ferrell ( Will Ferrell ) Acting, Job: Producer From Department of Production




5. Deborah La Mia Denaver ( Deborah La Mia Denaver ) Costume & Make-Up, Job: Makeup Department Head From Department of Costume & Make-Up




6. Adam McKay ( Adam McKay ) Directing, Job: Producer From Department of Production




7. Mark Mylod ( Mark Mylod ) Directing, Job: Director From Department of Directing




8. Lindsey Moran ( Lindsey Moran ) Art, Job: Art Direction From Department of Art




9. Gary Archer ( Gary Archer ) Costume & Make-Up, Job: Prosthetics From Department of Costume & Make-Up




10. Wyatt Sprague ( Wyatt Sprague ) Sound, Job: Sound Effects Editor From Department of Sound




11. Monique Ganderton ( Monique Ganderton ) Acting, Job: Stunt Coordinator From Department of Crew




12. Ethan Tobman ( Ethan Tobman ) Art, Job: Production Design From Department of Art




13. Manuel Rey Gonzalez ( Manuel Rey Gonzalez ) Visual Effects, Job: Digital Compositor From Department of Visual Effects




14. Rich Bologna ( Rich Bologna ) Sound, Job: Sound Designer From Department of Sound




15. Rich Bologna ( Rich Bologna ) Sound, Job: Supervising Sound Editor From Department of Sound




16. Rich Bologna ( Rich Bologna ) Sound, Job: Sound Re-Recording Mixer From Department of Sound




17. Amy Westcott ( Amy Westcott ) Costume & Make-Up, Job: Costume Design From Department of Costume & Make-Up




18. Alan Freedman ( Alan Freedman ) Sound, Job: ADR Mixer From Department of Sound




19. Colin Stetson ( Colin Stetson ) Sound, Job: Original Music Composer From Department of Sound




20. Jim Schultz ( Jim Schultz ) Sound, Job: Music Editor From Department of Sound




21. Jac Rubenstein ( Jac Rubenstein ) Sound, Job: Dialogue Editor From Department of Sound




22. Jac Rubenstein ( Jac Rubenstein ) Sound, Job: ADR Supervisor From Department of Sound




23. Whitney Ince ( Whitney Ince ) Crew, Job: EPK Editor From Department of Editing




24. Deborah Rutherford ( Deborah Rutherford ) Costume & Make-Up, Job: Makeup Artist From Department of Costume & Make-Up




25. Don Rutherford ( Don Rutherford ) Costume & Make-Up, Job: Makeup Artist From Department of Costume & Make-Up




26. Adruitha Lee ( Adruitha Lee ) Costume & Make-Up, Job: Hair Department Head From Department of Costume & Make-Up




27. Dhyana Forte ( Dhyana Forte ) Costume & Make-Up, Job: Makeup Artist From Department of Costume & Make-Up




28. Nava R. Sadan ( Nava R. Sadan ) Costume & Make-Up, Job: Costume Supervisor From Department of Costume & Make-Up




29. Chloe Weaver ( Chloe Weaver ) Camera, Job: Second Unit Director of Photography From Department of Camera




30. Chloe Weaver ( Chloe Weaver ) Camera, Job: Second Unit Director From Department of Directing




31. Paul Capuano ( Paul Capuano ) Sound, Job: Dolby Consultant From Department of Sound




32. Gretchen Gattuso ( Gretchen Gattuso ) Art, Job: Set Decoration From Department of Art




33. Scott Cannizzaro ( Scott Cannizzaro ) Sound, Job: ADR Mixer From Department of Sound




34. Matt Akey ( Matt Akey ) Production, Job: Visual Effects Producer From Department of Visual Effects




35. Michael Sledd ( Michael Sledd ) Production, Job: Executive Producer From Department of Production




36. Igor Nikolic ( Igor Nikolic ) Sound, Job: Foley Supervisor From Department of Sound




37. Mazena Puksto ( Mazena Puksto ) Costume & Make-Up, Job: Key Makeup Artist From Department of Costume & Make-Up




38. Monique Hyman ( Monique Hyman ) Costume & Make-Up, Job: Key Hair Stylist From Department of Costume & Make-Up




39. Katie Goodson ( Katie Goodson ) Production, Job: Producer From Department of Production




40. Bryan Haines ( Bryan Haines ) Visual Effects, Job: Digital Compositor From Department of Visual Effects




41. Jared Losano ( Jared Losano ) Crew, Job: Stunt Double From Department of Crew




42. Manolo Rojas ( Manolo Rojas ) Camera, Job: Steadicam Operator From Department of Camera




43. Jeff Bosley ( Jeff Bosley ) Acting, Job: Stunts From Department of Crew




44. Chris Chae ( Chris Chae ) Sound, Job: Sound Effects Editor From Department of Sound




45. Earl Perque ( Earl Perque ) Camera, Job: Best Boy Grip From Department of Camera




46. Lidia Tamplenizza ( Lidia Tamplenizza ) Sound, Job: ADR Editor From Department of Sound




47. Betsy Koch ( Betsy Koch ) Production, Job: Producer From Department of Production




48. Todd Weaver ( Todd Weaver ) Sound, Job: Sound Mixer From Department of Sound




49. Todd Weaver ( Todd Weaver ) Sound, Job: Production Sound Mixer From Department of Sound




50. Benny Alvarado ( Benny Alvarado ) Lighting, Job: Gaffer From Department of Lighting




51. Jack Runyon ( Jack Runyon ) Crew, Job: Visual Effects Editor From Department of Crew




52. Burke Roane ( Burke Roane ) Visual Effects, Job: Animation Supervisor From Department of Visual Effects




53. Stuart Macphee ( Stuart Macphee ) Crew, Job: Post Production Supervisor From Department of Crew




54. Eric Jacobo ( Eric Jacobo ) Visual Effects, Job: Visual Effects Coordinator From Department of Visual Effects




55. Jason Blackman ( Jason Blackman ) Costume & Make-Up, Job: Set Costumer From Department of Costume & Make-Up




56. Jason Sullivan ( Jason Sullivan ) Sound, Job: Sound Mixer From Department of Sound




57. Jason Sullivan ( Jason Sullivan ) Sound, Job: Production Sound Mixer From Department of Sound




58. Kyle Hoekstra ( Kyle Hoekstra ) Acting, Job: Digital Imaging Technician From Department of Camera




59. Sarah Irwin ( Sarah Irwin ) Crew, Job: Fight Choreographer From Department of Crew




60. Sarah Irwin ( Sarah Irwin ) Crew, Job: Stunt Double From Department of Crew




61. Jason Kehler ( Jason Kehler ) Crew, Job: Stunts From Department of Crew




62. Christian G. Hawkins ( Christian G. Hawkins ) Camera, Job: Camera Operator From Department of Camera




63. Roy Wooley ( Roy Wooley ) Costume & Make-Up, Job: Special Effects Makeup Artist From Department of Costume & Make-Up




64. Jason W. Batey ( Jason W. Batey ) Lighting, Job: Best Boy Lighting Technician From Department of Lighting




65. Aaron John Failing ( Aaron John Failing ) Art, Job: Special Effects Coordinator From Department of Crew




66. Seth Reiss ( Seth Reiss ) Writing, Job: Executive Producer From Department of Production




67. Seth Reiss ( Seth Reiss ) Writing, Job: Writer From Department of Writing




68. Will Tracy ( Will Tracy ) Writing, Job: Executive Producer From Department of Production




69. Will Tracy ( Will Tracy ) Writing, Job: Writer From Department of Writing




70. David Hirsh ( David Hirsh ) Visual Effects, Job: 3D Supervisor From Department of Visual Effects




71. Heather Taylor ( Heather Taylor ) Crew, Job: Drone Operator From Department of Crew




72. Tanner Bartlett ( Tanner Bartlett ) Crew, Job: Compositing Supervisor From Department of Visual Effects




73. Benjamin Darier ( Benjamin Darier ) Sound, Job: ADR Mixer From Department of Sound




74. Madelyn Wilkime ( Madelyn Wilkime ) Art, Job: Assistant Art Director From Department of Art




75. Lisa Molinaro ( Lisa Molinaro ) Directing, Job: Script Supervisor From Department of Directing




76. Hope Demling ( Hope Demling ) Production, Job: Production Coordinator From Department of Production




77. Joey Meyerhoff ( Joey Meyerhoff ) Sound, Job: Boom Operator From Department of Sound




78. Barbara Sanders ( Barbara Sanders ) Costume & Make-Up, Job: Hairstylist From Department of Costume & Make-Up




79. Tiffany Herzog ( Tiffany Herzog ) Visual Effects, Job: Visual Effects Coordinator From Department of Visual Effects




80. Scott Montgomery ( Scott Montgomery ) Camera, Job: Drone Operator From Department of Crew




81. Wes Dorough ( Wes Dorough ) Visual Effects, Job: Visual Effects Producer From Department of Visual Effects




82. Phylicia Feldman ( Phylicia Feldman ) Crew, Job: Compositor From Department of Crew




83. Brody Docar ( Brody Docar ) Costume & Make-Up, Job: Second Assistant "B" Camera From Department of Camera




84. Kate Stauduhar ( Kate Stauduhar ) Crew, Job: Visual Effects Editor From Department of Crew




85. Zachary Branch ( Zachary Branch ) Acting, Job: Utility Stunts From Department of Crew




86. Jackson Dobies ( Jackson Dobies ) Crew, Job: Stunt Coordinator From Department of Crew




87. Jenny Wentling ( Jenny Wentling ) Art, Job: Set Designer From Department of Art




88. Zack Beshears ( Zack Beshears ) Crew, Job: Visual Effects Editor From Department of Crew




89. DanTram Nguyen ( DanTram Nguyen ) Production, Job: Producer From Department of Production




90. Zahra Phillips ( Zahra Phillips ) Production, Job: Producer From Department of Production




91. Jacob Bridges ( Jacob Bridges ) Crew, Job: Special Effects Technician From Department of Crew




92. Kate Loftis ( Kate Loftis ) Costume & Make-Up, Job: Hairstylist From Department of Costume & Make-Up




93. Wyatt Werneth ( Wyatt Werneth ) Acting, Job: Stunts From Department of Crew




94. Jenna Go ( Jenna Go ) Production, Job: Associate Producer From Department of Production




95. Bret Howe ( Bret Howe ) Production, Job: Casting From Department of Production




96. Lucas Feuser ( Lucas Feuser ) Sound, Job: Assistant Sound Editor From Department of Sound




97. Nina Leitenberg ( Nina Leitenberg ) Sound, Job: Sound Recordist From Department of Sound




98. Kevin Schultz ( Kevin Schultz ) Sound, Job: Foley Mixer From Department of Sound




99. Nickolos Howard ( Nickolos Howard ) Crew, Job: Special Effects Technician From Department of Crew




100. Dave Isaac Santos Abuel ( Dave Isaac Santos Abuel ) Visual Effects, Job: Compositing Lead From Department of Visual Effects




101. Alexander Johnson ( Alexander Johnson ) Visual Effects, Job: Digital Compositor From Department of Visual Effects




102. Kate Smith ( Kate Smith ) Visual Effects, Job: CGI Director From Department of Visual Effects




103. Marc Smith ( Marc Smith ) Visual Effects, Job: VFX Supervisor From Department of Visual Effects




104. Heather Taylor ( Heather Taylor ) Visual Effects, Job: VFX Editor From Department of Visual Effects




105. Ty Taylor ( Ty Taylor ) Crew, Job: Drone Operator From Department of Crew




106. Adam Wagner ( Adam Wagner ) Visual Effects, Job: VFX Supervisor From Department of Visual Effects




107. Joshwa Walton ( Joshwa Walton ) Visual Effects, Job: VFX Artist From Department of Visual Effects




108. Martin Toby Watson ( Martin Toby Watson ) Visual Effects, Job: Matchmove Supervisor From Department of Visual Effects




109. Sarah Irwin ( Sarah Irwin ) Crew, Job: Fight Choreographer From Department of Crew




110. Sarah Irwin ( Sarah Irwin ) Crew, Job: Fight Choreographer From Department of Crew




111. Alister King ( Alister King ) Crew, Job: Stunts From Department of Crew




112. Ralph Koch ( Ralph Koch ) Crew, Job: Stunt Coordinator From Department of Crew




113. Jonathan Mercedes ( Jonathan Mercedes ) Crew, Job: Stunt Double From Department of Crew




114. Andy Tu ( Andy Tu ) Crew, Job: Stunt Double From Department of Crew




115. Jack Barbour ( Jack Barbour ) Lighting, Job: Rigging Gaffer From Department of Lighting




116. Ross Bartels ( Ross Bartels ) Editing, Job: Colorist From Department of Editing




117. Tim Collins ( Tim Collins ) Camera, Job: Dolly Grip From Department of Camera




118. J. Scott Copeland ( J. Scott Copeland ) Crew, Job: Video Assist Operator From Department of Crew




119. Sydney Cox ( Sydney Cox ) Camera, Job: Second Assistant "A" Camera From Department of Camera




120. David Flashner ( David Flashner ) Camera, Job: Grip From Department of Camera




121. Shant Kazandjian ( Shant Kazandjian ) Camera, Job: Grip From Department of Camera




122. Jean-Marc Lavigne ( Jean-Marc Lavigne ) Camera, Job: Best Boy Grip From Department of Camera




123. Ben Lemons ( Ben Lemons ) Camera, Job: Camera Loader From Department of Camera




124. Kyle Leonard ( Kyle Leonard ) Camera, Job: BTS Videographer From Department of Camera




125. Mark Nguyen ( Mark Nguyen ) Camera, Job: Camera Operator From Department of Camera




126. Mark Nguyen ( Mark Nguyen ) Camera, Job: Drone Operator From Department of Crew




127. Anya Peregrino ( Anya Peregrino ) Lighting, Job: Lighting Technician From Department of Lighting




128. Audie John Posadas ( Audie John Posadas ) Camera, Job: Drone Pilot From Department of Camera




129. Thomas Rodgers ( Thomas Rodgers ) Lighting, Job: Lighting Programmer From Department of Lighting




130. Tyler Tunney ( Tyler Tunney ) Art, Job: Set Designer From Department of Art




131. Eric Garcia ( Eric Garcia ) Costume & Make-Up, Job: Special Effects Makeup Artist From Department of Costume & Make-Up

Movie Review

• MSB ( msbreviews ) give rating 4
MORE SPOILER-FREE MINI-REVIEWS @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/other-films-watched-lff-2022

"The Menu is one of the biggest personal disappointments of the year.

Mark Mylod's film boasts inspired performances by the entire cast - Ralph Fiennes and Nicholas Hoult stand out - and some clever satirical moments, but pretty much nothing else works. Humor falls completely flat - except for the sequences à la Masterchef Australia. Screenplay follows surprisingly generic paths, being a mystery without any minimally impactful shock. Characters lack depth, and the anti-elite message is too evident and insignificant.

It should still get an overall positive reception."

Rating: C-



• CinemaSerf ( Geronimo1967 ) give rating 7
Arch-foodie "Tyler" (Nicholas Hoult) and his girlfriend "Margot" (Anya Taylor-Joy) are off to dine in a restaurant without parallel. Based on an island of just twelve acres, they join a collection of wealthy and influential people for what has been defined as experience to die for! Upon arrival, we discover that "Margot" was not the originally intended guest of her companion - so first question... Who is she? Next question - why does it seem to matter so much to the fastidious and frankly rather menacing chef "Slowik" (Ralph Fiennes) and his assistant "Elsa" (Hong Chau) who looks like she used "Rosa Klebb" as a role model? As the dinner progresses it becomes quite clear that the menu is not just about the exquisitely prepared and presented food, but is also about an appraisal of the individually selected - and none too savoury - staff and clientele, none of who are quite what they seem! This has something of Agatha Christie's "Ten Little Indians" to it, and it quite effectively pokes fun at the supercilious and frequently rather pompous attitude of both those cooking and those eating (or experiencing) fine foam dining. That humour is dark and potent, too. Fiennes is entirely convincing and Hoult, as well as Janet McTeer as the self-important food critic "Lillian" and Paul Adelstein as her suitably obsequious companion "Ted" contribute well as the sense of the ridiculous evolves into one considerably more perilous. It could have evolved just a bit more quickly for me - there are certainly enough "get on with it" moments and though ATJ's character is feisty, it doesn't quite work and ultimately served to illustrate the increasing implausibility of the story and unlikely servility of the diners as we head towards an almost Vernean denouement. It is quirkily entertaining this - a well presented, multi-layered, attack on our own senses that is better second time around. Not perfect, but I suspect Michelin would love it.



• ( mooney240 ) give rating 5
The Menu began with a tone and tension that made me want more but ultimately ended with confusion and disappointment.

The hype for The Menu intrigued me. The reviews celebrated its genius. So I had to see it. And when I sat in the theater and the credits began to roll, all o could say was, "Huh?" The Menu starts with Ready or Not vibes with a fish-out-of-water real-world character who ends up at a fancy dinner with a collection of high society foodies and critics. The trailer gave me expectations of cannibalism cult or Most Dangerous Game-type plots, but instead, nothing really happened. I think I understood what The Menu was trying to convey with its deeper meaning, but I still came up disappointed. Anya Taylor-Joy and the rest of the cast gave great performances, but there was little that really brought the movie together. Maybe the subversion of the cannibal or hunting expectation was the movie's brilliance? The Menu definitely tried to be clever, but whether it was or not might be open to interpretation. Ironically, I sat through the whole movie and left wanting more… left hungry.



• Nathan ( TitanGusang ) give rating 9
_The Menu_ was one of the most unique thriller experiences of the year! The setup is fantastic, and the story gives you just enough information to intrigue even though the story path is somewhat generic. It is dark, honest, and quite hilarious. This unique blend created a thriller like no other.

The performances were great. Anya Taylor-Joy was brilliant and is cementing herself as one of the best actresses of the decade. Nicholas Hoult was hilarious in such a subtle way that never takes away from the tense scenes at play. Ralph Fiennes is haunting but also sympathetic, making him a very interesting and genuine antagonist.

This was such an amazing film and another smash entry into horror palooza that is 2022.

Score: _86%_ |
Verdict: _Excellent_



• ( wlodi ) give rating 7
Pretty good but I'm also a little disappointed by it. I really liked the cast and the acting (Nicholas Hoult and Ralph Fiennes were especially good). The story was entertaining enough but I didn't quite buy into it all. It's not as sharp or smart as it could be. It may be that I recently watched "Triangle of Sadness" and really enjoyed the humour and observations on the rich in that film and "The Menu" doesn't quite reach these heights in my opinion. It's still worth watching, with some good reveals and surprises throughout.



• ( 5rJoud ) give rating 5
"You, Margot from Nebraska (Anya Taylor-Joy), you've betrayed our sacred bond of trust. And you've shown your craft to be careless. I was wrong. You're an eater. You're a taker. You're very hard to look at. And you're no Julia Roberts."



• Nate Richardson ( nrichardson85 ) give rating 9
> Jim Jones; Executive Chef

Going to a once-in-a-lifetime tasting at a restaurant headed by one of (if not _the_) most renowned chefs in the world sounds like a dream come true to any foodie. (Myself included, albeit vicariously via the Food Network) Two of these lucky guests are Tyler (played by Nicholas Hoult), and Margot (played by Anya Taylor-Joy).

The issue is, something is already not right. No, it's not obvious; at least not to normal people like you and me. Elsa (played by Hong Chau) picked up on it, but she isn't like us. As more and more guest arrive, someone isn't supposed to be there... Ah, don't worry, the feeling will pass. After all, the tasting is just about to start...

This is when we meet the executive chef, Chef Slowik (brilliantly played by Ralph Fiennes). At first he is charismatic and prepares his guest for each tasting with stories. But this little cult like bigrade eventually let on that they know more about their guests than anyone should... That is except for one.

As someone who is enamored with the food world, seeing The Menu satire some of my favorite shows:

* Netflix's Chef's Table with the course spotlight cinematography and ingredients cards.
* Any Celebrity Chef (i.e. Chef Slowik calling someone a 'donkey', clearly a reference to Gordon Ramsey).

...I was delighted that this film leaned into the dark end of how service work can feel sometimes. This film feels cathartic having lived the life of a service worker, and I feel others who have had that experience should be able to connect to the darker parts of the film as well.

The plot culminate in a theme that I think despite what mild morbidity was displayed, most watchers can relate; Be it society's expectations or our own, the more we push toward perceived greatness we run away from that childhood excitement that set up on the path to begin with.

The Menu as a whole, is, well... Something you might hear at an actual tasting: A story of life, it's memories (good and bad) told in 5 courses. If you're part of the menu, you deserve to stay until the end... That is, unless your not supposed to be here; perhaps life hasn't beaten you down enough yet... In-any-case, there is always the _cool aid_.



• ( MovieGuys ) give rating 7
The Menu is a film defined by one key ingredient, the performance of Ralph Fiennes. His cold, biting acerbic chef, whose every word and nuance expresses a certain irony and a gradually building threat, is compelling.

Frankly, it was Fiennes lynch pin performance that kept me watching The Menu. Had it been a less actor, I might well have walked away. Which brings me to the script. A predictable idea, with a certain promise that's far too loosely executed. The result is a plot that has more than a few dead ends and lacks a certain consistency and credulity. Its not awful, not at all. That said, with a more consideration and tightening of plot elements, it could have been so much more.

In summary, if The Menu is remembered for anything, to my mind, it will be the remarkable performance handed in by Ralph Fiennes. The bulk of my 7/10 rating is based on his remarkable work. Regrettably, in most other respects, this film is somewhat forgettable, horror fare.



• ( GenerationofSwine ) give rating 1
This was my actual last straw with IMDb... I guess you have to like this one or else. And by that I mean they are purging all the bad reviews.

So, this is a movie about pretentious people, for pretentious people, that are killed by pretentious people so they can walk away feeling deep.

From the start you know what is going to happen, because it's basically the same thing that always happens on ominous deserted islands... and the "they eat the diners" thing was removed because one of the couples were regular diners there.

It sort of gives you only one plot direction made clear by the fanaticism of the cult of cooks.

So there wasn't any guess work that needed to be done, and from the start you knew which character was going to live because the broadcast that with a giant arrow pointing down at them.

But, hey, it's the modern audiance, nothing can be subtle today.



• ( tensharpe ) give rating 8
“The Menu” takes anti capitalism and serves it up with a sprinkle or two of violence delivered on a plate by a perfectionist, cult leading chef. Mark Mylod produces a horror comedy that takes shots at culinary snobbery as well as performance art. 

Margot ( Anya Taylor-Joy ) and her supposed boyfriend Tyler (Nicholas Hoult ) take a boat, along with a number of other diners, to a remote Restaurant called Hawthorn situated on a private Island. The restaurant’s avant garde head chef ( Ralph Fines ) sells both art and home grown, self produced food to a select group of high earning customers with quality and presentation far above any other culinary experience. As the guests arrive they are first subjected to a tour of the Island to see the produce used in Hawthorn being grown and sea food being gathered. Once seated in the restaurant the food begins to be served along with a story from head chef outlining the dish and its significance to the overall experience.  Before the final course is served the stories become darker and more extreme culminating in the diners becoming fearful for their own lives.  

Before we reach the final course one sous chef announces that the menu requires “ an ending that ties everything together conceptually”. At this point in the proceedings it becomes clear that the restaurant staff are very much following the direction of their head chef without question, much in the way followers of any cult leader react.  “The Menu” is very unsettling and produces some uneasy, grimacing moments but balances them out well with enough humour and satire to make for a rather enjoyable experience.