The Menu

They say a good chef never reveals his recipes, and The Menu takes a similar approach with serving moviegoers. What starts with a sharp-edged satirical appetizer of high-society food snobbery segues into a main course of bloody culinary revenge.

The problem is that this tightly wound thriller from acclaimed series director Mark Mylod (“Succession”) is all about the presentation, without enough substance to fill you up — although for the squeamish, it might test your stomach in other ways.

It’s set primarily inside a fine-dining establishment that personifies decadence. The Hawthorn is located on a private island reachable only by boat, and the clientele consists of about a dozen hand-picked foodies who shell out more than $1,000 per plate for a surprise dinner overseen by Chef Julien (Ralph Fiennes), who takes his craft very seriously.

Among the diners are a snooty food critic (Janet McTeer), a middling actor (John Leguizamo), and a semi-regular (Reed Birney). But the story focuses primarily on Tyler (Nicholas Hoult), who adores Chef and acts condescending toward his date, Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy), who apparently was a last-minute replacement and doesn’t share the same refined palette.

The evening begins innocently enough, with Chef urging his patrons to taste and savor. “Do not eat our food,” he explains. “Our menu is too precious for that.”

As details are gradually revealed, the courses suggest that Chef and his staff are targeting their shallow and superficial guests with jokes that become more shocking and personal, with the suspicious Margot becoming the wildcard as the non-invitee. Is it showmanship or a vendetta? Either way, the meal might cost them more than just their money.

Fiennes is deliciously captivating with his deadpan delivery that perfectly captures the film’s comic cynicism. Mylod’s camera skillfully weaves through the kitchen and dining room, lingering on the plates as through it’s in on the joke.

Meanwhile, the screenplay unleashes some intriguing character dynamics and ratchets up the tension within its isolated setting, but without a side dish of empathy to accompany the sadistic entrée.

Credit the film for audacity, although the social commentary becomes muddled, with a rather aimless takedown of wealth and capitalist privilege that doesn’t give us much to chew on.

Leaving an aftertaste that’s decidedly more sour than sweet, the narrative ingredients in The Menu are not as flavorful as the place setting.

Rated R, 106 minutes.