The Menu (Mark Mylod, 2022, USA)

The Menu is a new film by Mark Mylod. Mary Mylod has been mainly behind a lot of television work, most notably and recently directing 13 episodes of the series Succession. Writers Seth Reiss and Will Tracy have a great deal of experience writing short-form comedy, most notably for The Onion news network, and also for Succession. While many have compared this film to Succession, as someone who has never watched the show, my closest reference point is the work of producer Brett McKay (teaming here with Will Ferrell). The film has the satirical bite and political angling of much of McKay's work.

It is perhaps best to go into The Menu knowing as little as possible, as - not unlike Knives Out or other mysteries - the film unfolds like an onion, revealing answers to questions over time. The film starts like a mystery, with a group of various characters coming together on a boat to go to an island where they will be dining at a Michelin-star-style restaurant under the ownership of Chef Slowik (Ralph Fiennes). Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy), who is not on the original list of invitees, becomes our window into this world. The various chapters of the film - all of which takes place essentially in a single location - are indicated by colorful descriptions of the different courses.

While The Menu is a film that exceeds perhaps more in its premise than its overall execution, it is still technically a wonderful film to watch, and ultimately very entertaining from start to finish. The film begins to falter somewhat in the final act, as we and the characters understand where all of this is heading. Still, as a horror film, The Menu is a unique moviegoing experience and will surely be a film that builds strong word of mouth.

7/10