The Menu (2022) Film Review — A Great Surprise

Man, the urge of having a cheeseburger was too high as the credits rolled.

All I knew about The Menu going in was that it was about a food experience on a remote island and that something goes awry. The film turned out to be a great surprise and one of the best movies I’ve seen in 2022. It’s definitely about a lavish fine-dining experience on an island that few can experience due to the exorbitant costs and exclusivity attached to the affair. We follow a couple joining a group of customers as they make their way to the restaurant for a dining experience that is to die for.

The experience boasts some wonderful performances, particularly by Ralph Fiennes as Master Chef Slowik, a world-class renowned cook who is at the zenith of intensity and seriousness about his craft. Watching him chew up the scenes with a calm, calculated and controlling demeanour was amazing. Anya Taylor-Joy is always a joy for me and this was no different. Nicholas Hoult surprised me with his portrayal of an elitist foodie and fanboy and let’s just say he got on my nerves several times as intended by the writing. Hong Chau as one of the members of the chef team was brilliant with her passive-aggressiveness. John Leguizamo felt effortless as a film celebrity long past his heyday.

Beautifully shot and scored with tight pacing and superb sound design that racks up the tension and uneasiness as the plot moves forward and you get involved in the experience trying to figure out what exactly is going on as the wealthy guests are treated to ridiculously fine cuisine with flair and twists — loved the little touch of showing each course and its ingredients as if you’re on a cooking show. Taking place in a singular location for the majority of the runtime, the film kept me engaged throughout. The most surprising element was the dark comedy as I cackled several times; it never overstayed its welcome and was used effectively.

Some suspension of disbelief is required and since the film kept me hooked and entertained, it was palatable. I loved that while there are shocks, twists and turns, the story never went overboard with it. There are layers of social commentary and messages baked into the script and while some might be too on-the-nose once the plot reaches a certain point, none of them felt as though I was being hammered over the head with them as the base experience is always front and centre. To top it off, one of the messages was, personally, somewhat reminiscent of the wonderful finale realization by the critic in Ratatouille and that’s always a plus.

The final act stumbled a little bit in some areas but it also made up for it in others so I didn’t leave the experience with a bad taste in my mouth. It was, on a whole, fulfilling.

The Menu is the kind of film I don’t wanna talk too much about because I could accidentally give away something that might ruin the experience so I’ll wrap it up by saying that if you haven’t watched The Menu yet, do yourself a favour and give it a shot. Don’t even watch the trailer if you can. It might surprise you in the best of ways. A full-course meal. And if I were to rate it, I’d give it an 8.5/10.