Mark Mylod (The Big White, What’s Your Number?) directs this horror-comedy about a young couple—Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (Nicholas Hoult)—who travel to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant under the aegis of chef Slowik (Ralph Fiennes), whose lavish meal comes with some unexpected surprises. (106 min.)

Glen: We’ve both worked in the restaurant industry, and I think we agree that the 2022 TV series The Bear, available on Hulu, is a more accurate depiction of what it’s like behind the scenes, but this black comedy is more interested in skewering capitalism and classism than it is the high-end restaurant biz. Don’t get me wrong: The Menu absolutely mocks the absurd lengths chefs go to cater to the foodie culture, from dishes plated with tweezers to exotic methods of creating foams, emulsions, and gels. Yet what this film is really interested in dissecting are those with too much money for their own good; people who look down on the underclass with derision and disgust; people who think they’re untouchable and above retribution. The evening chef Slowik has in mind will prove those guests wrong.

Anna: The molecular gastronomy pretentiousness of this meal and the type of people who seek out this sort of experience is what just completely annoys me. Don’t get me wrong—you’ll find me at any farm-to-table or winemaker’s dinner I have the chance to attend. I don’t even mind a foam now and again. But I’ll just say it: Chef worship is dumb. Being impressed with someone who’s great at their job and has a passion is wonderful; pretending they’re gods is not. However, chef Slowik has decided to play God himself in some weird game of righting wrongs he perceives to have happened. The guests are all pretty unlikeable, except for Margot, who we find out has taken the place of Tyler’s original date. Besides her and Tyler, there’s a group of three douchey finance guys, an aging movie star and his assistant desperate to leave her job, an older couple, and a food critic and her “yes” man. Chef Slowik’s staff is doggedly devoted, ready and willing to help the chef carry out his dastardly plan for the evening.

Glen: Each guest has done something to offend Slowik, but some of the offenses don’t seem to warrant the punishment he has in mind. In short, he’s a monster, and he’s somehow managed to turn his staff into a cult that will blindly follow him. Sure, some of these characters deserve what they get, but going after an actor because you didn’t like his film, or torturing a longtime client because you don’t think he appreciated your craft? Psychopathic! The story does have a very interesting ending involving Margot, who wasn’t supposed to be at the dinner at all, but she had to muster all her street smarts to prove her worth. Very entertaining indeed.

Anna: We recently watched Triangle of Sadness, which followed wealthy elites on a yacht trip gone wrong, and here again we watch as those who have money are left in a place where it’s of no use to them. Fiennes is a superb actor, and this role gives him plenty to chew on. Taylor-Joy is also great as Margot, who doesn’t buy into this high-end gastronomy crap and who gets under Slowik’s skin by not touching dish after dish. The pretentiousness depicted in this film drives me up the wall, but Mylod and writers Seth Reiss and Will Tracy cleverly have us rooting for people we don’t even like because they’re the lesser evil. Annoying as the bougie food business may be, this film is both wicked and enthralling.

New Times Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen. Glen compiles listings. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.

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