The Menu (2022)

Director Mark Mylod and producers Will Ferrell and Adam McKay will be a familiar team to those who are fans of the excellent television series Succession (2018-2023). The black comedic tone of that series is in full force in The Menu, a thrillingly enjoyable drama that has shades of Ready or Not (2019) along with last years’ Triangle of Sadness, with a pinch of Boiling Point (2021) thrown in for good measure. Nicholas Hoult and Anya Taylor Joy are Tyler and Margot; a couple who visit an exclusive restaurant on a remote island, of which Ralph Fiennes’ Slowik is the Chef. They’re joined by several other distinguished guests, all of who have shelled out in excess of $1000 for the experience. As you’d expect from the cast members mentioned, they all have a ball here, but the film is almost stolen from them by Hong Chau, who is absolutely brilliant as the maître d’hôtel Elsa. The film is anchored by the courses served during the meal, and the film is edited sufficiently to make the experience almost consistently menacing. From minute one of the film the atmosphere is tense, although that will come as no surprise to those who have seen the films’ trailer. Mylod serves up an excellent idea to thrilling effect, and The Menu is consistently engrossing right up until its final act. Although the ending is somewhat predictable, the main issue with the film is that it is, in the end, all style over substance, and digging beneath the surface doesn’t reveal a great deal. But the films’ great strength is to keep you thoroughly entertained while it’s in front of you; the issues only start to become apparent after you’ve digested it and thought it all through. 7.4/10