The Menu is a black comedy horror film from 2022 directed by Mark Mylod. Yes, it is on Netflix, and it is becoming popular for its interesting story, suspense and smart criticism of elitism. At the 51st Saturn Awards, the movie was nominated for five awards, including Best Thriller Film.
The story is about a young woman named Margot and her food-loving date, Tyler, who go to a fancy restaurant managed by the famous chef Julian Slowik. The restaurant is on a faraway island, and its expensive meals make it feel special. As the night goes on, it becomes clear that the chef has dark intentions for his important guests.
The story runs all around a fancy restaurant in a remote location, where each dish served comes with a surprising twist. Slowik prepares a series of meals that reveal shocking secrets about the guests, leading to a frightening ending.
As the night goes on, the guests understand they are stuck and that some of them won't survive. This intense dinner party, filled with fancy food and hidden secrets, keeps viewers anxious.
The Menu plot analysis
The film centers on Tyler Ledford and his date, Margot Mills, who travel to the exclusive Hawthorn restaurant on a remote island. The restaurant, led by celebrity chef Julian Slowik, hosts an eclectic group of wealthy guests, including a food critic, a movie star and a group of business partners.
As dinner progresses, the guests are subjected to unsettling courses, each paired with disturbing monologues from Slowik.
The tension escalates when truths about the guests are exposed through the meals, and violence erupts. The sous-chef kills himself, and a guest’s finger is severed as a warning. Chef Slowik orchestrates further shocking events, including drowning an investor and allowing himself to be stabbed by an employee.
As the night progresses, Slowik reveals that each guest is there because they have contributed to his disillusionment with his craft. Margot, whose presence was unplanned, is given a choice to die with the guests or the staff.
Margot learns more about the guests' dark secrets, including her own involvement with one of them, Richard. She then defies the chef, cooking up her own plan to escape. Margot ultimately confronts Slowik with her request for a simple cheeseburger.
As Slowik sets the restaurant on fire, Margot escapes, watching the destruction unfold from the boat, symbolizing her liberation from the pretentious world she was briefly part of.
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Main cast of The Menu
- Ralph Fiennes as Chef Slowik
- Anya Taylor-Joy as Margot
- Nicholas Hoult as Tyler
- Hong Chau as Elsa
- Janet McTeer as Lillian
- Paul Adelstein as Ted
- John Leguizamo as Movie Star
- Aimee Carrero as Felicity
- Reed Birney as Richard
- Judith Light as Anne
- Rebecca Koon as Linda
- Rob Yang as Bryce
- Arturo Castro as Soren
- Mark St. Cyr as Dave
- Peter Grosz as Sommelier
- Christina Brucato as Katherine
- Adam Aalderks as Jeremy
- Jon Paul Allyn as Boat Waiter
- Mel Fair as Boatman
- Cristian Gonzalez as Server 1
- Matthew Cornwell as Dale / Coast Guard Officer
- John Wilkins III as Server 2
Supporting cast of The Menu
- John Cola as Chef
- Michael A. Dean as Chef
- Marcus Aveons Duncan as Chef
- Alexander Goldstein as Chef
- Grant Henley as Chef
The Menu received a 7.2/10 rating on IMDb.