Review of The Menu (2022) by Rebecca31 — 20 Nov 2022

The Menu is a horror/satire/comedy that’s ultra-sharp and immensely entertaining. If you’re looking for a great movie to see in the cinema this week then there’s no question, this should be your choice.

Young couple Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) travel to a remote island to eat at the most exclusive restaurant. They are joined by a group of very wealthy individuals who don’t need to think twice about the cost to eat at such a restaurant where legendary chef Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) has prepared a lavish menu. This isn’t your ordinary menu and the surprises just keep on coming. What begins as a pretentious 10 course meal slowly turns dark and sinister with each new course.

I haven’t seen food look so delicious onscreen since the Hannibal TV show. The attention to detail is incredible. So expertly crafted you may end up coming out of The Menu craving some food. It’s an unpredictable horror that never lets up, and keeps you constantly on your toes. With a chilling performance from Ralph Fiennes as a brilliant chef. He commands every scene he’s in and has a formidable onscreen presence. Put alongside Anya Taylor-Joy and it’s the perfect recipe for an excellent satirical horror. From the moment the guests arrive at the remote island, things feel unsettling and everything about the meal gradually becomes more and more disturbing until it descends into a full blown horror movie.

The Menu has a brilliantly original script for a horror comedy. In the same month we’ve had two great satirical thrillers targeting the ultra-wealthy, between this and Triangle of Sadness. All I’ll say is there’s clearly an audience for this topic and I for one would love to see more of this. Although The Menu and Triangle of Sadness both have completely different stories, they have similar themes running throughout them. So if you enjoyed one, you’ll enjoy the other, seek them out and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

The Menu definitely won’t be to everyone’s tastes, horror comedies certainly aren’t for everyone. If you’re still unsure, the trailer gives you an idea without spoiling anything. It’s gripping, shocking and very entertaining. The Menu is exclusively in cinemas so don’t miss the chance to see it on the big screen. Highly recommended and a must see for those with a dark sense of humour.