Man, what a wild ride The Menu was. I will admit that this was a movie the wife and I only went to see because there was nothing else we had not seen. However, we both said that it was a lot of fun and a movie we would certainly watch again down the line. It is a horror movie that has a real sense of humor about it and it also boasts a great ensemble cast.
How to Download The Menu
You will be able to download or stream the film from a digital platform sometime after its theatrical release (which happened on 18 November 2022). Click on the Download button at the end of this review and check the current availability. If you like Ralph Finnes, check him out also as Lord Voldermort in Harry Potter movies or as Gareth Mallory / M in James Bond films. Anya Taylor Joy’s fans should definitely see her in The Witch and The Queen’s Gambit.
The Movie Review
I want to start by talking about the cast. Now to the main characters. First of all, we have Julian who is played by Ralph Finnes and he is a celebrity chef. There is also Anya Taylor-Joy as an escort called Margot. We also have Nicholas Holt as Tyler, who is a hipster jerk and the person that has brought Margot to this strange island.
The premise of The Menu is one that on paper sounds weird as hell. Celebrity chef Julian has invited some very “impressive” clients to come and eat at his restaurant. From a movie star, a food critic, big-time businessmen, and more. It is a very strange selection of guests that he appears to have invited to his restaurant.
We soon learn that this is not just a special kind of meeting and eating type deal Julian has going on. You see, Julian has lost his passion and he is putting the blame on the people that he has invited. It is a fantastic testament to the amazing acting talent of Ralph Finnes, the way that he just gets crazier and crazier as the night goes on.
I do not want to go too deep into spoiler territory for you guys, but this is one hell of a fun time! It is very much a comedic horror movie, borderline black comedy I would say, and while there are some things that will shock you. You do not have to worry about being scared to go to bed at night after you have watched this movie!
One other part of The Menu that I got a huge kick out of was John Leguizamo. John Leguizamo plays an asshole actor and he is an absolute riot and a ton of fun. Anytime that we get to see this guy on the big screen is a win for me as it just does not happen as much as it should. I went into this movie pretty much blind so seeing him show up was a real highlight of the movie for me.
I feel that The Menu has all the makings of a movie that may not set the box office on fire. However, I am pretty sure that once word of mouth spreads and it comes to streaming, this will become something of a cult hit. The movie theatre the wife and I were in had us and like three other people, so I do not think this did all that well financially, or critically, on the other hand, I have not really heard anything bad from those that have actually seen it.
As you can tell, I really liked this movie. If you are someone that gets a kick out of comedy horror movies, be sure to give this one a watch. Chances are by the time you read this; it has been pulled from theatres. However, it is well worth your time picking up on DVD/Blu-Ray or watching on a streaming site as I am sure you will have fun with it.
