Watched The Menu

Hello everyone. Today I’m going to share with you the first film that I’ve watched since October. I’ve limited my choices, as local movies nowadays weren’t going to make me go to the cinema anymore. The Menu is finally available. So, here’s the review.

The film starts off with our main characters taking a boat with a few other pairs of guests. They travel to a restaurant that opens on an island where a master Chef and his staff also live. The guests are from different backgrounds, they’ve one thing in common, they’re rich. They all pay large amounts of money to be able to enjoy the food and experiences that are prepared for them. As the story unfolds, all the guests of the night will take part in a life-changing experience they’ll never have again.

The guests include a food critic and her husband, a rich couple, a celebrity and his girlfriend, some business partners, and our protagonists. When they arrived on the island, they took a tour of the place. And then they entered the restaurant to enjoy their meal. The food is served according to the Chef’s menu while each course has a specific theme designed for it. As the story continues, one of the dishes reveals that each guest has some dark secrets going on. In real life, they process some kind of power in order to manipulate someone else’s lives. The film attempts to portray the group of people as ignorant and self-centered. Money is all they could see.

To no surprise, people will die on the island. People started to be frightened when a staff member shot himself to death. An old man tried to leave, but his ring finger was cut off. A while later, When male guests are offered to run for their lives, they all get caught. I laughed when the ladies drink wine and chat with the sous-chef. They aren’t working hard enough to save their lives, as the chef stated. This is when the story becomes intriguing. How are they going to fight for their lives?

I wasn’t sure if the movie was trying to mock people in high society. As I see it, the story is attempting to teach us that people who do not respect food are just mindless souls who live the high life, buying art they don't understand. That’s capitalism. So that they’re being punished. The last course is to make everyone part of a dish. I believe the Chef’s decisions were all motivated by personal factors. It doesn’t seem right to me as it wasn’t very well-established, and it’s somewhat underwhelming. Simply put, I think the Chef doesn’t have enough reason for all the drama he intends to create. If his employees are not drugged or being hypnotized to take part in his master plan, then why do they need to obey him for no reason? I couldn’t see how he holds any kind of leverage over anyone to make that happen.

Margot, our lead character, doesn’t fit the description of the “group” because she has a rather humble beginnings. But all I see is her wearing a nice dress, applying pretty makeup, and going on a trip with his boyfriend Tyler, whom she barely knows. Again, I’m not convinced at all. He later reveals that she was instead hired by him, which he had to pay for to have a table for two.

When I thought the film was going to be a disappointment, it was saved by a scene. After Tyler hung himself, something clicked in Margot’s mind. She challenges the Chef by pointing out she’s not satisfied by the food because she’s starving and ordered a cheeseburger with fries. She uses her wit to fight back against the pride of why being a Chef—bringing joy to those who enjoy the food. As it turned out, she hadn’t finished the burger but just merely a bite. With such an excuse, she can have her takeaway and leave. That was an interesting take on how to be the last surviver.

Throughout the whole film, I've had an urge to punch everyone in the face. Especially, the boyfriend and the Chef. I like the atmosphere and the tension the film creates in the first act. There are strict rules in place, and the employees behave and speak like soldiers. And the way that the Chef speaks intimidates me. Especially every time he slaps his hands, which draws the everyone’s attention. As a thriller, there are some moments that I enjoyed.

I admit I’ve never been to that kind of fancy restaurant before. Just as the movie implied, I’m some commoner who lives an ordinary life. But I did watch a few seasons of MasterChef, hosted by Gordon Ramsey. You see, sometimes having a cheeseburger and fries at McDonald’s could be more enjoyable than some conceptual bullshit. Meanwhile, I’d rather enjoy my bread, if that doesn’t bother you.

Some sidenote, I didn’t go to the movies last month. There weren’t any movies that I was interested in. Also, I try to avoid most of the Marvel/DC films. It appears to me that most superhero films follow a formula and rely heavily on VFX. I want to see real cinematography and narrative-driven films instead of CGI feasts. But, of course, there are plenty of people who enjoy them. Don’t worry; I don’t claim to have better taste than you.

Anyway, see you in the next review.

This is #Day86 of #100DaysToOffload.

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