In a world filled with food-related content, everyone claims to be an expert but not everybody seems to understand the struggle that goes behind the curtains. You can easily draw a parallel between art & food, both industry are subject to heavy criticism because they are a major part of everyone's lives and we all consume it on a daily basis. This is the premise of this new black comedy The Menu starring Ralph Fiennes, Nicholas Hoult and Anya Taylor Joy. Well, at least that's how I saw it.
Synopsis: "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."
The Menu is a wild & unpredictable 5-star meal with Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy commanding the screen. I'm not saying it's perfect, but I loved the wicked and twisted sense of humor, there's a strong social commentary on achieving perfection & accepting criticism. Compared to a lot of films who attempted a shot at satire lately, this one actually nailed the landing for me.
I don't know if I would categorize this as a horror film, but it has some solid "holy shit" moments and one scene in particular that was truly unsettling for me and I watch a lot of horror, it just hit a cord. Expect to be shocked but maybe also laugh if you're on board. The film has terrific editing from Christopher Tellefsen, the way the story is structured like a 7 course meal to keep us invested and interested in what's coming next with the clever titles, loved it. Also very sharp timing with the music too, overall brillantly edited.
It's directed by Mark Mylod who is responsible for hit series like Succession and Shameless, you can tell he has a flair for filming conversations and keeping the audience on the hook. We are introduced to different groups of people and even though most of it depends on dialogue, the film is always entertaining. It's a shocking and funny piece of art that is most likely to surprise you, and probably have you starving. Just make sure you don't go in on an empty stomach.
Initial Score: 8/10
The Menu is now playing in theaters.
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