*MILD SPOILERS AHEAD* 

   Foodies and Michelin chefs globally had to make the choice of whether or not to laugh at themselves after Will Tracy’s “The Menu” debuted in theaters this past November.

   The movie follows Chef Slowik, played by Ralph Fiennes, in his high-end restaurant on a remote island as a special tasting takes place. His guests include several affluent restaurant-goers who are desperate to experience this fine dining at Slowik’s restaurant, Hawthorne.

   “The Menu” begins innocently enough; the audience watches as Tyler, played by Nicholas Hoult, scolds his date, Margot, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, not to smoke so as not to ruin her palette for the dinner. It’s obvious from the start that Margot is not nearly into the idea of food as art as Tyler is. Nonetheless, they travel via boat with several other guests to the island where Hawthorne is located.

   From there, the guests are greeted by host Elsa, played by Hong Chau, who subtly turns the tone of the movie from placid to tense. Her stern demeanor piqued my interest as she took the guests on a tour of the facility. It’s here that the audience learns that the staff lives on-site, and they exist as a family unit. Additionally, we discover that Margot was not the original guest Tyler had invited as Elsa reads off the guest list. This fact was made odder by the overreaction the staff has in response. Elsa and other staff members are peeved as they are forced to change the seating chart to accommodate Margot. 

   Still, though, the movie continues on normally enough. The guests are seated and are served absurd, high-end creations from Chef Slowik, which include seawater and foraged aquatic greens from the nearby sea. The guests are indulgent as they feast upon their dishes, with the exception of Margot, who still doesn’t understand the appeal. 

   About 45 minutes into the movie, though, things take a quick turn. The cooks become increasingly tense, along with Chef Slowik, until one of the presentations of a dish turns into the graphic suicide of one of the cooks. From here to the end of the movie, the audience was thoroughly uncomfortable; the tension in the theater was palpable. 

   This part of the movie was also where the black comedy set in. Take comedy with a grain of salt, however. There were few audible laughs in the full theater, but there was a strange, uncanny sense of amusement as I watched the horror unfold. 

   As the score became more and more stretched and ragged, the restaurantgoers simultaneously fought for escape and a chance to try just one more dish from Chef Slowik.

   Without more spoilers, this movie was easily one of the best to come from 2022. The movie delightfully balances comedy and thriller, but it still hosts a plethora of messages for the audience to absorb.