3 Reasons Why The Menu Is So Good!

2022 was full of cinematic surprises. Whether it was Avatar: The Way of Water crossing $2 billion at the worldwide box office, or how good Robert Pattinson was as The Batman, nothing really beats the fact that David Mylod, the director of Whats My Number, directed one of the funniest, socially relevant and genuinely thrilling movies of 2022 with ‘The Menu’. The Menu follows a young couple, as they travel to a remote restaurant, Hawthorn located on a secluded island. As the night progresses and the menacing Chef slowly reveals his sinister undertakings, the classy night out, quickly turns into a literal horror film. As mentioned, The Menu is one of the biggest surprises of 2022 and for good reason. It’s clever script, enjoyably irritating characters and terrific performances, makes for a cinematic delight. To celebrate ‘The Menu’s’ release on DVD and Blu-Ray, I will be breaking down the 3 reasons why the film is so damn good. So, without further ado, let’s get stuck into it! 

I’m not laughing you’re laughing - The humour -

One of the biggest surprises of The Menu was just how damn funny it was. It’s always a hard line to toe, balancing two distinctly different tones. The film at its core is a horror/thriller, but deep down, beyond the surface with have a gripping satire, poking fun at the 1% in a hilarious way. A lot of the humour is derived from the over-the-top performances from its talented cast. Nicholas Hoult’s Tyler is paired with our main character Margot, played by Anya Taylor-Joy. His obvious nature to the progressing situation is truly funny. We have so many great moments that are reaction shots of Tyler ignoring the disturbing nature of what Chef is doing during the film. The two food critics played by Janet McTeer and Paul Adelstein and ‘The Movie Star’ as his character reads during the credits, played by John Leguizamo were all fantastic as well. If you like to laugh, then there’s plenty to laugh about here. 

Yes chef - the incredible cast - 

One of the other elements that make this film so damn good, is the amazing cast. I’ve touched on some of these performances already, but the three best turns here are by our 3 core actors. Anya Taylor-Joy continues to knock nearly everything she does out of the ball park. Her recent turns in The Queens Gambit, The Northman, The Mutants, Morgan and The Witch, are eclipsed by her work here. She plays a sympathetic character, without knowing much about her at all. It’s a testament to her Star power and just how good she is on screen. Ive also already touched on Nicholas Hoult’s amazing work here, he is just delightful. But the real heavy hitter is Ralph Fiennes. His performance as the Chef is truly terrifying. His methodical in his approach to the character. He has this calm demeanour during the film, where we don’t really know what’s going on with him. He seems calm albeit calculated, but his restraint leaves you on edge as you just don’t know when he’s going to snap. I was mesmerised by his work here and I was saddened by the fact he hasn’t been receiving awards praise. The man deserves it! The supporting cast all do their jobs well here, making for a truly entertaining ensemble. 

The plating of the dish - the production design and make-up of the film - 

And finally, the pièce de résistance is the production design and the make up of the film. Everything comes together so well here and I believe this is due to David Mylod’s direction. Mylod does a great job of assembling the film. All of the elements come together to make some that is simply stunning. The film looks incredible which is due to cinematography by Peter Deming, who has lensed films such as: Drag Me To Hell, Cabin In The Woods, Scream 4, The New Mutants and Capone among others. His work here is some of his finest, with every shot, drenching in cinematic gold. Another element here that hasn’t been discussed enough is composer Colin Stetson’s incredible score. Stetson’s best known for his work on ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’, but his two scores from 2022 Texas Chainsaw Massacre and now The Menu, are among some of his best work. I have purchased both soundtracks from Waxwork records and if you’re a fan of movie scores, I suggest you do too! This is one of the best directed films of 2022, and it’s make-up is a huge part of that! 

The Menu is clever, witty and oh so satisfying. Filled with amazing performances and superb direction, that result in one of 2022s best films. This is not one for the faint of heart, so make sure you check out the trailer before you watch it, just in case it’s too full on for you, but trust me, there’s a lot here to enjoy. The Menu is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray, so head on over to Sanity to secure your copy today, but hurry, you won’t want to miss this one.