Want to see it: the new super-exciting movie The Menu
White-knuckle tension right up to the final minute: that’s the new cinema film The Menu. Tyler takes his date Margot to Hawthorne, a highly exclusive, super-swanky restaurant (on an island and therefore only accessible by boat) to taste the phenomenal and crazy menu—at $1,250 per person—created by chef Julian Slowik. And that evening turns out to be rather… surprising.
According to Julian, the menu has been thought out down to the very last detail. And that applies not only to the food. From course 3 onward, truly bizarre things happen, making the film almost horror-like. Actually, let me put it this way: it’s simply a horror film. The knives are not used only to cut the perfectly seared meat and fermented vegetables.
Terrifying chef
The fact that Ralph Fiennes—also known as our great friend Voldemort from the Harry Potter series—plays chef Julian perhaps makes it all just a little more frightening. The ear-splitting clap of his hands, which keeps recurring to get the attention of the staff and guests, is enough to make you tremble in your seat.
A feast for the eyes
For foodies who enjoy looking at delicious food, this film is a feast for the eyes. The most beautiful dishes pass by, with Scandinavian cuisine featuring local seasonal ingredients and cutting-edge cooking techniques taking center stage. As Elsa, the hostess of the evening, says at the beginning of the film: we harvest, we ferment, we gel, and you can see that reflected—in the kitchen and on the plates. The shellfish the guests see being dredged up at the beginning of the film is on their plates that same evening. Or rather, on a rock surrounded by water plants and melting saltwater ice.
Anyone lucky enough to have been to starred restaurants Noma or Blue Hill Stone Barn will undoubtedly experience moments of recognition. All the culinary feats, the creative menu and the glimpse into the kitchen, combined with the horror-like scenes and the touch of humor (sprinkled in every now and then), make this a film to savor.
Now in cinemas
The Menu is now showing in cinemas, including Pathé. Nothing is known yet about a possible release on a streaming service. If that does happen, the chances are greatest that you’ll be able to watch it on Disney+ or Hulu. So keep an eye out.
Image: still from The Menu IMDB
