The Menu (2022) Review
- Viktoria
- Aug 11
- 5 min read
Director: Mark Mylod
Year of release: 2022
Country of origin: United States
Spoiler status: Spoilers ahead
Genre: Psychological horror
What I'm about to cover today exceeded all my expectations when it comes to psychological horror and reminded me that a movie doesn't have to have crazed killers running after the protagonist with an axe or ghouls trying to haunt a person. Sometimes, calm and controlled can be just as terrifying as something chaotic.
The Menu is an exceptional piece of horror art. It scares not with creatures or weapons, but with arrogance and societal pressure. It shows entitlement and greed in a painfully honest way that will infuriate every sane person.
What makes this movie even better is the stellar performances by the actors. Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Nicholas Hoult played their parts all too well, blurring the line between fiction and reality to an almost unbearable level.
Before this movie, I thought I knew what good psychological horror was. I was wrong.
The Plot of The Menu
In this movie, we follow Margot (played by Anya Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (played by Nicholas Hoult) on their culinary journey of a lifetime. They were hand-picked by Chef Slowik (played by Ralph Fiennes) himself, or at least Tyler was, to come to his exclusive restaurant for a very special dinner. When the pair arrives at the island, they reveal that Tyler was originally supposed to come with someone else. This seemingly unsettles their hostess, but they are shown inside anyway. And this is where things get interesting.
Chef Slowik says he put together a very special menu for his guests. Every bite must be savored; nothing must stay on the plate, or else the experience won't be complete. It's pretty obvious Margot doesn't belong here, and right from the start she makes it clear she's not happy with the service. Not because it's not fancy enough for her, but because the whole thing is ridiculous. The portions are too small, the food seems like art rather than actual food, and Chef Slowik keeps monologuing about very real social issues that seemingly don't have anything to do with the people at his tables. As the guests gradually grow more agitated with the service, the real motive is revealed.
They are here because they are awful people. They are greedy, cynical, arrogant, and selfish. Slowik claims they've sucked all the enjoyment out of preparing food for them. They will complain about the portion size, the consistency, the looks. If it looks too simple, he doesn't put enough thought into it. If it's extravagant, he's unnecessarily over-the-top. The movie shines a bright light on the problems of entitlement. Some would call it "main character syndrome", which means that they think they are at the center of the universe. Everything is created for their enjoyment, and it all has to be exactly as they want it. Nothing matters as long as it doesn't harm their wealth or their ego. Sounds familiar? Is this not the painful reality we're living in the 21st century?
The Menu very cleverly points out everything that's wrong with today's society and the pressure it puts on every one of us. The sad thing is that most people won't see this as a cry for help or a warning signal. They will watch the movie, and then criticize it for being too on the nose, too boring, or too [insert some random made-up reason], just like the characters criticize Chef Slowik's efforts.
Is The Menu scary?
Mylod's horror masterpiece doesn't induce fear; it induces existential dread. It shows how lavishly the rich live and how nonchalant they are with their money while a good portion of the overall population lives in poverty, not being able to afford regular meals. They think everyone's below them and that they exist only to stroke their ego. They must have the most expensive clothes, cars, boats, food... As long as it costs a fortune, it's good enough for them, but they will still complain about it because compliments are beneath them.
This movie is just as scary as any other decent horror movie, but it doesn't use gore or jump scares. It uses one's empathy and conscience to cause feelings of unease and dread. The worst part is that this one will stay with you. Not for a day or a week, but for good. Because it's an existing issue that spills into reality, and it's something an ordinary mortal can't solve. So while the rich get richer by the day, the poor starve. If you don't find this scary, this is a good chance to reevaluate your moral values.
Simplicity and humility - the saviors of humankind
Margot's character is complex and intriguing. We know she's hiding something right from the start. Slowik calls her out on it almost immediately. After all, he put a lot of effort into carefully curating his guest list so he could kill the people he despised most. But then Margot showed up and unsettled the order. She was unpredictable, a little wild, and she firmly stood behind her beliefs. An anomaly Slowik hadn't encountered for a long time. She reminded him of his beginnings, of the joy he felt when he was just starting out as a fast food cook. In all this craziness, she asked for a hamburger. This might've seemed ridiculous to some, but to Slowik, this was the best day he'd had in a long while. He was more than happy to fulfill Margot's wish because, in a way, it made him feel alive again. Margot used this opportunity to, in good old fast food fashion, ask for her hamburger to be packed to go, and she left.
A scene so simple, packed with so much weight. It's one of my favorite scenes of all time, because it shows how a little bit of simplicity and humility can go a long way. If only the one-percenters knew this, too.
Final thought
Rating: 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️(5/5)
The Menu is truly a unique piece of horror art. It's different, it's refreshing, and it has one of the best plot twists I've ever seen. The actors' delivery is spotless, and the story is painfully relatable. And the ending? One of my all-time favorites.
This movie opens a conversation on the topic of greed and entitlement in a very special way. Almost as if we can peek through a window into the world of the disgusting, unnecessary extravagance only the richest of us can afford. It seems glamorous, but also very lonely. Almost as if the rich lack the capacity to connect with another human being. There have been a lot of good social commentary pieces in the horror genre in the past few years, but none of them left an impression quite like The Menu. If you haven't watched it yet, it's time to dim the room and get your popcorn. It's a must-watch.
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