Like a lot of people, I had already seen countless clips from The Menu on YouTube Shorts. One scene here, another scene there, and before long it felt like I had seen half the movie without ever actually sitting down and watching it from beginning to end.
When Apple put it on sale for $4.99, it was an easy purchase. At that price, it was digestible for the wallet, and I finally decided it was time to experience the movie the way it was intended instead of piecing it together through social media.
I’m glad I did.
Watching the complete film in chronological order completely changes the experience. The scenes that became popular online are entertaining by themselves, but they carry much more meaning when you understand the characters, the setting, and why everyone is there.
Without spoiling the story, The Menu is much more than a suspense film. It’s a sharp satire about the service industry, creativity, entitlement, and what happens when the relationship between the person providing a service and the customer completely breaks down.
As someone who has spent years working in customer-facing jobs, that was the part of the movie that resonated with me the most. Whether you’ve worked in restaurants, retail, hospitality, rideshare, or customer service, you’ll probably recognize personalities that you’ve encountered somewhere along the way.
The cast is another reason this movie works so well.
Ralph Fiennes delivers a commanding performance as Chef Julian Slowik. I’ll eventually be talking about some of his other work as I continue through my movie library, including The Avengers and his role as M in the James Bond films beginning with Skyfall.
Nicholas Hoult plays Tyler, and it was fun seeing him in a role that’s completely different from his portrayal of Beast in the modern X-Men films. With Marvel preparing to bring the X-Men into the MCU, it’s interesting to look back at performances like this and remember just how much range he has as an actor.
Anya Taylor-Joy gives an excellent performance as Margot, and newer audiences may recognize her as the voice of Princess Peach in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Then there’s John Leguizamo, who played Luigi in the 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros. movie. It’s a fun little connection that this cast includes performers from two completely different generations of Mario films.
One of the things I also appreciate is that this is a complete story.
These days it seems like every successful movie is expected to become a franchise, get a sequel, or launch another cinematic universe. The Menu doesn’t need any of that. It tells the story it wants to tell, reaches its conclusion, and leaves it there.
That’s refreshing.
Could Hollywood make a sequel? Of course. Hollywood has a habit of continuing almost anything. But I honestly think it would miss the point. The strength of The Menu is that it’s a self-contained story. Sometimes the best ending is simply… the end.
I also want to explain why I review movies the way I do.
There are already plenty of reviews that completely spoil a movie by walking through every scene, every twist, and every ending. By the time you’re done watching those videos, you’ve practically watched the movie without ever experiencing it yourself.
As someone who creates content, I think that’s a slippery slope. A review should recommend a movie, not replace it.
I’d rather tell you why I think something is worth watching and let you discover the details for yourself. Everyone brings different life experiences to a film, and because of that, different moments will resonate with different people. I don’t want my interpretation to become your first impression.
After you’ve watched the movie, though, retrospective analysis can be a lot of fun. If you’re interested in looking deeper into themes, motivations, symbolism, and character breakdowns, I’d recommend checking out Analyzing Evil on YouTube. It’s one of those channels that’s best enjoyed after you’ve experienced the film yourself.
For me, that’s the right order:
Watch the movie. Form your own opinion. Then enjoy hearing how other people interpreted it.
Overall, I can easily recommend The Menu. If you’ve only seen the viral clips online, do yourself a favor and watch the complete movie. It’s one of those films where the journey is every bit as important as the destination.
For $4.99, it was an easy recommendation and a worthwhile addition to my library.
Coming Up Next
As I continue working backward through my iTunes library of more than 400 movies, the next recommendation will be Paul.
That review will also give me the opportunity to revisit one of my favorite fan theories—how Paul may have “phoned home” through the events of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Whether you agree with it or not, it’s a fun in-universe theory and exactly the kind of movie discussion I enjoy having.
Until next time, have a fun, safe, and profitable day.