A group of rich people step on a yacht. They’re on their way to a mysterious island where a famous chef will serve them the finest meals over the course of a night. But, all isn’t as it seems on rich guy island! This chef has a few deadly tricks up his sleeve for the privileged clientele. Before seeing this film, I had seen the trailer for The Menu about 100 times which means those deadly tricks weren’t too surprising. A movie’s trailer shouldn’t affect the viewing experience of the actual film but, in this case, a lot of the moments of surprise became anticipated. At the beginning of the film, we’re introduced to the vapid rich characters with their various sins (soon to be revealed). Our main characters are food nerd Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) and tag-along Margot (Anya-Taylor Joy). Throughout the film the truth of their relationship peels back and Tyler’s nearly-religious fixation with Chef Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) becomes an important part of the psychological game. Ralph Fiennes is the star of the show as an intense chef using his sway on people to a deadly point. 

The film has a few funny bits (and violent ends) but what The Menu mainly consists of are conversations amongst the parties trapped in this situation. The rich folks are never fleshed out so you can see them as neither empathetic nor anything other than a metaphor. The same goes for the cultish workers under Chef Slowik’s thumb. The rich characters are corrupt and Chef Slowik is the pedestaled worker, a character who is boosted by capitalism and has benefited greatly from it but never feels appreciated for the artform which he has mastered. It’s a solid message: “Under capitalism, the rich can fully luxuriate in the finest arts on earth- which they do not fully understand or appreciate.” Unfortunately, the movie goes about this in a frustrating way. The mystery of these characters, why they’re here and what’s going on are never explained beyond what you could easily guess for yourself. The film is full of minor reveals which work to maintain tension but never fully hit and only work toward an underwhelming end. For the sake of spoilers, I’m being vague.

It’s impressive how long this film retains its small mysteries but the reveals feel like ideas run through a machine designed to avoid isolating the audience. Anya Taylor Joy’s character is allowed to be the most like an actual person in this situation whereas everyone else is either annoying or weird. Can I use the phrase main character-coded? Nobody in the audience wants to seem themselves as the diluted rich folks because the film doesn’t want them too. Nor as the slavish chefs, so dedicated to their work that any sense of self has been eradicated from their body in the name of servitude. Don’t worry, folks, you’re the mysterious tag-along in this situation and you’re the only one who wants to actually do something about this. That’s nothing exclusive to The Menu but still provides the audience an out in the film’s trapped-by-fate metaphor. If you have to struggle in life, you can work your way through a situation like this. The Menu is attempting to ride the line between Squid Game and Funny Games– without any of the truly shocking moments or dark satire. Critical response and audience reaction suggests The Menu succeeded at this though I’m not so sure it’s as strong as they say. It’s a mildly entertaining film with a few fun bits and Joy/Fiennes have a decent tension. Is Chef Slowik’s disdain for his clientele meant to be the director’s distaste for the modern, short-attention spanned audience? Perhaps. It’s more compellingly volatile in concept with a well-known, confident director than it is in the soft-pawed The Menu.  

Rating: 5 out of 10
(Watch Ready or Not)