The end of 2022 was truly filled with critically acclaimed films. In the last few months of the year movies like “Avatar: Way of Water” (2022), “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” (2022), and “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (2022) received major success. One of these  movies was “The Menu”. I was excited to watch this thriller/comedy and it did not disappoint. As a forewarning, this review will contain spoilers, so I recommend watching “The Menu” before reading this article.

  “The Menu” follows Margot, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, as she is drug along by foodie Tyler, played by Nicholas Hoult, to this very prestigious restaurant opening by the famous chef, Chef Slowik. The other people dining at this restaurant are all very “elite.” One woman is a famous food critic, another a famous actor, and the others are also very rich and pretentious. As the meals progress the Chef reveals that everyone will be dying that night, including himself and the rest of the cooks. Margot, who is not a part of this “elite,” attempts to escape from the island. 

  “The Menu” attempts to demonstrate this commentary on the rich and pretentious lifestyle, and I think it turned out pretty successful. In the thriller sense it works because this is a terrifying situation to be in, especially because Chef had planned this all out and exactly who was going to be there so he could kill them. 

  What makes it extra terrifying is that the reasons Chef gives for each person’s death are often unfair or out of their control. He’s killing the food critic because her reviews have led to the closing of several restaurants, he’s killing the actor because he was in a movie that Chef hated and he’s killing another woman because she went to Brown University with no student loans.

  The only person not accounted for is Margot, she was a replacement for the woman Tyler was supposed to bring. Instead, it is revealed that Margot is an escort hired by Tyler and does not care for the pretentious nature of the people around her. Unfortunately, I wanted a little more commentary, the whole movie was about how all these people are so gross and pretentious but I feel that they could’ve done more to point that out. 

  If I had to describe this movie in one word, instead of 475 I would just say “pretentious.” I used the word a lot in this review because it really is the best word to describe this movie, and of course, I call it pretentious in a kind way because I understand that’s the movie’s central theme. I highly recommend this movie, it is available to watch on HBO Max. I would rate this movie 9 out of 10 stars.