The Menu stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult as a young couple who travel to a remote island to dine at an extravagant restaurant owned by the enigmatic celebirty chef Julian Slowik, played by Ralph Fiennes. The guests are treated to an unforgettable dining experience with some shocking surprises along the way. Food and horror are a dangerous mix and the trailer for The Menu certainly gives off the vibe that the film’s big twist could revolve around cannibalism. But is that a red herring? If you don’t want to have The Menu spoiled for you or want to go in totally blind then this is your warning. Otherwise, here’s everything we know about whether The Menu movie is about Cannibalism.
***Spoilers for The Menu Follow**
Is The Menu About Cannibalism?
The Menu is not about Cannibalism. Rather, what audiences are treated to is a pitch-black horror commentary about the divides in society and how people live their lives.
The Menu focuses on 12 individuals from the upper crusts of society who are invited to Slowik’s restaurant Hawthorne for a five course meal. Amongst them are a washed up movie star, a food critic, an upper class couple and three Silicon Valley businessmen.
The courses begin normal enough with Slowik introducing each with monologues that slowly begin to become more sinister and disturbing, delving into his past with his alcoholic mother and the death of his father. Things come to a head when Slowik orders one of his staff members to shoot himself in the head.
The Menu largely revolves around a murder/suicide scheme devised by Slowik. His staff are willful collaborators in his scheme while each of the 12 guests have been selected for their own misgivings. The food critic was targeted for her reviews ruining the careers of promising chefs, the actor for being a sell out, and the wealthy couple for taking the fine dining that Slowik produced for granted.
Slowik’s motivation revolves around him losing his passion for food and cooking after thanklessly serving the rich and famous. The Menu is wholly unique and original, fully subverting the audience’s expectations while also highlighting a growing cultural divide in society.
That’s everything we know about whether The Menu movie is about cannabilism. Be sure to check out Twinfinite for our extensive guides and entertainment coverage including guides explaining what does the Chef whisper to Tyler, is The Menu based on a book, as well as our Guardians of The Galaxy Holiday Special review and our 10 favorite moments from Andor.