Review by John Delia, Sr.
Diabolical, devious and demented, yet genius, the movie The Menu does an excellent job of depicting the objectives in a film that will have you glued to your screen. What makes this film extra special is the acting crew lead by Ralph Fiennes who plays the host in the film with a performance should really love. If you like films that keep you mystified and excited to see “what happens next?”, then get your popcorn ready for a delicious experience. Now on Blu-ray and DVD
Invited to a private island a group of upscale and famous people are excited about being chosen for an evening of food and libation by the renowned chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes). Anticipating a lavish meal, the guests are Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (Nicholas Hoult), Bryce (Rob Yang), Soren (Arturo Castro) and Dave (Mark St. Cyr), Anne and Richard (Judith Light and Reed Birney), and restaurant critic Lillian Bloom (Janet McTeer) with her magazine editor Ted (Paul Adelstein) and his assistant Felicity (Aimee Carrero).
After settling in following a boat ride to the island, the food gets introduced by Chef Slowik. So begins a night of enlightenment, surprises and a wicked evening. Director Mark Mylod spoons out his film with a slow purposely puzzling story that will tantalize the pallets of most horror-thrill addicts. And most will be chuckling but, unaware that the real “party” is about to start.
On the Blu-ray and DVD are the following special bonus features:
Featurettes: Open Kitchen: A Look Inside The Menu – Feast on the special ingredients of The Menu to see how director Mark Mylod and his formidable cast, the biting script and renowned chef consultants concocted the perfect recipe to bring authenticity and dark humor to the film’s high-end culinary world.
First Course: Take a seat at the table as director Mark Mylod delves into some of the key ingredients that went into crafting The Menu. Meet the renowned chefs and food stylists who brought their culinary expertise to the set.
Second Course: Savor the world-building of Hawthorn, from kitchen “boot camp,” to the meticulous details of the production design. Hear from the cast and writers about the director’s naturalistic approach to capturing the nuances of the performances.
Dessert: Dig into the creation of the s’mores sequence as costume designer Amy Westcott explains the painstaking process of sewing ponchos made of actual marshmallows. The cast discusses chocolate hats and the absurd predicament of their characters.
Deleted Scenes: And for a mignardise, enjoy three deleted scenes.
*Bonus features vary by product and retailer
The Menu is Rated R by the MPAA for strong/disturbing violent content, language throughout and some sexual references. Please make sure the underage are in bed or glued to their x-box before starting this wild affair.
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, Ralph Fiennes, John Leguizamo
Directed By: Mark Mylod
Genre: Horror, Thriller, with Comedy
MPAA Rating: R for strong/disturbing violent content, language throughout and some sexual references
Running Time: 1 hr. 47 min.
Street Date: January 18, 2023
Distributed by: Searchlight Pictures
Released in: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital