As she munched on her exquisite cheeseburger while leaning against her car, the final girl, Margot relished at the devilishly glowing flame from the restaurant amongst the night sky. While it may seem like a close shave from Chef Slowik’s wraith, was ordering a cheeseburger actually a well thought-out plan?
Synopsis
The Menu is a dark comedy that follows Chef Slowik as he puts his affluent restaurant guests through a dining experience like no other — but not for the reasons those paying $1,250-per-head to eat at Hawthorn, the restaurant, on Slowik's private island would expect. Once the 11 lavishly dressed guests, including Tyler and Margot, disembark from the chartered ferry, things start going awry. Tyler's tense conversation with the sous chef gives us an early clue that everything is not as it seems, and Slowik's dinner guests soon discover that he may have invited them for something far more sinister than gourmet cuisine.
Now…before the in depth review and analysis…did I enjoy the movie…
I sure did! To be frank, after I watched the movie, I did not understand a single thing at all! From the cheeseburger to the killing of the guests, to the iconic CLAP from Chef Slowik and the burning of the restaurant at the end, I had a feeling that the whole movie was a satire of something to say the least. I remember eagerly discussing with my friends about what the movie entailed and let's say we came up with something that was completely different from what the intended meaning was. After having thought about the movie, I actually realised that it represents a pertinent issue that plagues our society (of which would be expounded below). If you are a person who seeks thrill, laughter, suspense, and maybe a tinge of doubt, this show would be perfect for you. It is surely on the top of my list for dark comedies! In short, The Menu ultimately is not telling us anything we don’t already know. It becomes heavy-handed and obvious in its messaging; mind-boggling wealth corrupts people.
Review; My personal opinion (Spoilers Alert)
(The Courses)
From the very first course of the meal to the last, though each dish may seem quite rudimentary, it is actually a façade of Chef Slowik’s master plan - to kill all the guests who dine at the restaurant.
Take the first course for example, “Bouche” (Mouth in French) It is a dish that is rarely ordered by patrons but, instead, is served depending solely on the Chef's selection. Therefore, with this dish, the film may be suggesting how the entire menu has been selected by Slowik without the guests having any say in it. Similarly, their death at the end of The Menu, displays a careful and sinister orchestration by the chef.
Additionally, consider the fifth course, “Wild Bergamot and Red Clover Tea” (also stated to be a palate cleanser). Not only is it meant to be a palate cleanser, it is also meant to be a calming drink. During the fifth course, Slowik allowed the guests to ask him questions. Amongst the guests was Tyler who was seen hurling questions to refine his already exquisite palate. However, Slowik shunned his questions, seeking silence and described the tea for the guests to be “the last moment of the calm before the storm”, emphasising how the guests represent the ingredients in the tea, and foreshadowing the end of The Menu as well as Slowik’s intentions to kill everyone at the end.
During the courses
Throughout the meal, the guests are served a series of bizarre concoctions such as a breadless bread course, each accompanied by a rather unsettling monologue from the chef. We are also slowly being exposed to various secrets about the diners, including details about their illicit affairs and money laundering. I felt that he had hand-picked each of the diners himself as they had each played a role in him losing his passion for his craft and had exploited his work. An example would be Anne and Richard Liebbrandt. While most people only dream of going to the restaurant once in their lifetime, the couple had already been to the restaurant eleven times. However, they are incapable of remembering a single dish. They are art collectors, using their money to buy the prestige of Slowski’s food, even though they don’t care about what they eat. In general, an artist makes art to be appreciated. Unfortunately, once the artist (Chef Slowik) becomes famous, his work (food) becomes an investment or something to show up to friends instead of something to be appreciated.
Margot was one of these guests but why was she munching on a cheeseburger at the end?
The Ending
Assuming that you have watched Margot outwit Slowik, I am sure you must be thinking: “Margot is so smart!”
However, how exactly did Margot manage to find out what goaded Slowik towards his sadistic orchestration? Was ordering a cheeseburger the greatest move of the century?
Breaking down her escape:
In the middle of the movie, Slowik brought Margot into his office as she was ruining his dinner feast (primarily because she was not hand-picked by him). We then realised how Margot’s real name is actually Erin and that she is a prostitute who was hired by Tyler as his companion for the evening. Slowik and Margot appear to see eye to eye on some aspects of life, but he assures her that no one can be spared and that she too will die – although he gives her the choice whether to die as a staff member or a diner.
Margot is left in a dilemma and is forced to make a decision against time. She ends up agreeing to be part of the staff and is tasked to retrieve a barrel needed for the dessert course, but when she does so, she sneaks into his house where she calls the coastguard and discovers that Slowik had previously worked as a fast food chef. After Margot returns to the restaurant with the barrel, the coastguard officer shows up, but any hope is banished when it turns out that he too was involved in Slowik's plan. Margot appears to become desperate and starts to viciously mock the food they have been served, complaining that she is still hungry. Slowik asked her what she wanted. Her reply was just “a cheeseburger”. This enabled her to leave the restaurant and escape from the awaiting massacre.
Why was Margot able to escape?
Margot’s genius idea to ask for a cheeseburger after discovering Slowik’s past in the fast food industry. By demanding for a cheeseburger, she caused Slowik to recall the simple pleasure derived from working in the fast-food industry which is drastically different from the pretentious creations by the disillusioned Slowik in the fine dining universe. The inner sentiment of nostalgia made Slowik feel poignant for Margot and that he did not want Margot to be part of the pretentious foodies he was happy to murder.
How does the Menu relate to our society?
1. Classism and disparity caused by varied income levels: In contemporary society, the stratification caused by one’s socio-economic status is rather significant. Those on the upper echelons are often able to live more lavishly, while those at the other end of the spectrum have access to only the necessities. From the way they commute to the things they consume; it has been debated upon whether those of the higher socio-economic status fail to appreciate and find pleasure from the simple things in life; and require posh goods just to feel a sense of gratification.
2. Fine dining as a pretentious art: Fine dining can be viewed as a pretentious art form, from the elaborate menus with exotic ingredients to the meticulously crafted presentation of each dish. The service in fine dining establishments is often haughty and judgmental, adding to the sense of exclusivity and privilege. While these aspects of fine dining can be intimidating and off-putting, the level of skill and craftsmanship that goes into creating a truly exceptional culinary experience cannot be denied. Despite the pretentiousness, fine dining offers a unique and unforgettable dining experience for those willing to brave its intimidating facade.
3. The numbness of humanity: While many acknowledge the fact of income stratification prevalent in society, they are not stepping up to advocate for or help the disadvantaged. The government has no doubt stepped up to address the issues faced by the disadvantaged (people of low socio-economic status), however, their solutions are often transient and can be rendered ineffective in the long run.
To sum up, The Menu draws attention to the significance of societal problems, and the parallels of these problems to the real world. This movie encapsulates the hypocrisy of the ambiguous ethics of “eating the rich” and how income disparity and classism is ubiquitous all over the world.
- The End -
Written by: Samuel Naing Yee Sheng (23S75)
Edited by: Reyess Peh Qi Xun (22A15), Widyayuki Triyono (22S6D)
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