Language : English
Director : Mark Mylod
Writers : Seth Reiss, Will Tracy
Cast : Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, Hong Chau, Janet McTeer, Paul Adelstein, John Leguizamo
Genre : Comedy | Horror | Thriller
Streaming in Theatres near you
Slight spoilers ensue: Regarding the nature of the film.
Kino is definitely back on the menu. Taste it, Savour it and Relish it. A refreshing experience watching a non franchise film on the big screen after a while. As the name suggests The Menu deals with food , making it a must watch for foodies however not for the light hearted. It is a twisted dark tale of obsession and frustration in search for perfection.
The film uses a single location setting , one that has been used plenty of times before except here it is elevated by Ralph’s finesse as the titular chef. From the get go the storytelling provides a ritualistic experience prophesying an impending danger. It develops into a horror-thriller and concludes with a satire on culinary. Like some of the items served in the movie, this Menu may not suit everyone’s palate and viewers can even be disgusted considering how the pleasure of eating is drained with those outlandish sequences.
Dwelling further into the plot points can hamper the experience. Watch this for a crazy dining experience.
Verdict : 5/7 stars
Excellent.
Trivia
Screenwriter Will Tracy came up with the idea of the story while visiting Bergen, Norway when he took a boat to a fancy restaurant on a nearby private island and realized they were stuck (or trapped) on the island until the meal was done.
Several of the beach shots were filmed at Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island, Georgia.
The lavish ‘food’ layouts were prepared by renowned French chef Dominique Crenn, the only female chef in the United States to attain three Michelin stars for her restaurant Atelier Crenn in San Francisco (as of 2016). Though many of the cast and crew were often tempted to taste the delicacies between takes, they had to be reminded that the food items were predominantly props, and thus inedible.
In 2019, Emma Stone was attached to play the lead role with Alexander Payne directing. In 2021, Anya Taylor-Joy replaced Stone and Mark Mylod directing.
