History Film / TheMenu

* CrazyPrepared: [[spoiler:Julian had a rigged radio[[note]]A Citizens Band radio, which is the wrong application, set to channel 16 making it highly unlikely to be monitored or received by either the Coast Guard or the police.[[/note]] in his private cabin and a phony Coast Guard officer on standby on the off chance that one of the patrons managed to get into his cabin and tried calling for help.]]

** At one point, Julian is unintentionally on the receiving end when he reveals [[spoiler:to George that the only reason why he's there is because George was the star of ''Calling Doctor Sunshine'', and Julian watched the bad movie on one of his very rare (like, once every three months) days off. When George points out that he didn't write the movie, Julian dismisses this by saying he still took the role for profit, losing his touch as an artist]]. This is almost identical to RealLife [[DisproportionateRetribution harassment and death threats levied at actors for being in a movie or show that fans didn't like,]] so the film essentially compares [[LoonyFan these types of "fans"]] to a self-centered, narcissistic [[ThePerfectionist perfectionist]]. [[spoiler: It's also a HypocrisyNod, as Margot points out that nothing he's been doing to cater to his wealthy clients has been done with love or passion, either.]]

* {{Hypocrite}}: Slowik claims that his menu is something "pure" and devoid of ego. Listening to any of his speeches reveals that everything is instead very much about satisfying his massive ego, and it's also not pure but an extremely personal matter.

* ComfortFood: A cheeseburger, that tastes ".. exactly like the first one you ever ate. The one your parents were almost too poor to afford." [[spoiler: This time, it's not intended to invoke nostalgia in the diner, however, but the cook.]]

* ClusterFBomb: There are ''a lot'' of {{Precision F Strike}}s in this film.

** Margot, after everything has hit the fan and [[spoiler:Chef Julian has decided that she deserves to die with the guests after all, [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech calls him out on his hypocrisy]] and declares she's still hungry. She then orders a traditional cheeseburger and fries (the one and only thing that Julian still enjoys preparing). Then asks for it ''to go.'' And it '''works.''']]

** It also aims at the convoluted and showy world of modern fine dining, where the meal is so much of an experience that it doesn't actually provide anything of nutritional substance, let alone sate someone's appetite. [[spoiler:Which is how Margot feels up until the end, as, despite the events of the entire evening, she's still hungry.]]

* ClosedCircle: The story takes place in a restaurant in a small island. There is little else in the isle beside the restaurant and the facilities used for it and the crew. While the guests are held hostage in the restaurant, there is also no way to flee even if they did leave. [[spoiler:Margot manages to flee only because Slowik set up a fake rescue mission that brought a boat back. Even then, that boat runs out of fuel a few miles away.]]
* ComfortFood: A cheeseburger, that tastes ".. exactly like the first one you ever ate. The one your parents were almost too poor to afford.". [[spoiler: This time, it's not intended to invoke nostalgia in the diner, however, but the cook.]]

** [[spoiler:Margot isn't Tyler's girlfriend, but an escort he hired -- and her name isn't Margot. It's Erin. She isn't from Grand Island, Nebraska but actually Brockton, Massachusetts.]]

* RuleOfSymbolism: The myth of Tantalus is subtly referenced throughout the film. The silver door that hides Julian's secret room has a Greek-esque image of a figure surrounded by what looks like flowering plants, yet his face looks fixed in horror. This alludes to how Tantalus was punished [[AndIMustScream to always be within reach of food and water, but could never touch it.]] Julian's dinner as a whole also alludes to how Tantalus served dinner to the Olympians, and served them his own son to show they were not true gods. Except instead of gods, Julian is trying to make his point to the rich elite, who are completely powerless to stop him without their resources. And lastly, both Julian and [[spoiler:Margot]] are service workers who no longer feel pleasure and happiness from their jobs, also symbolizing the punishment of Tantalus. Near the end of the film, the myth is directly named when Margot sees that Julian's career kick-started in a restaurant named Tantalus.

* SherlockScan: Chef Julian correctly deduces that Margot is lying about her name, and that she is working-class, like himself and his staff.

* SinisterSchnoz: A few times, we get a close look at one of the unnamed female cooks, who has quite a big nose.

** [[spoiler:How Margot manages to escape Hawthorn. After discovering Slowik's only happy memory is being a line cook in a restaurant, she manages to play to his ego by stating nothing he made that night was "made with love", and convinces him to prepare, not anything fancy, but a basic cheeseburger. He eventually does so, and lets her leave with her order "to go" when she experiences true happiness at having something that Slowik actually enjoyed cooking for her. As such, she's the only member of the cast that survives to see the credits roll.]]

** Margot, after everything has hit the fan and [[spoiler:Chef Julian has decided that she deserves to die with the guests after all, [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech calls him out on his hypocrisy]] and declares she's still hungry. She then orders a traditional cheeseburger and fries. Then asks for it ''to go.'' And it '''works.''']]

** When Tyler tells Margot to stop making fun of Hawthorn's $1,250-a-head price tag, she shrugs and responds, "It's your dime." [[spoiler:Turns out she's not dropping the subject because he's paying for the ''meal'', but because ''he's paying for her to act as an agreeable date''.]]

*** Similarly, when Margot refuses to eat one of the courses, Tyler yells at her that he "is the one paying".
*** Also, when they first arrive on the island and Tyler doesn't know Margot's last name. [[spoiler:One might assume it's just early in their relationship and he's an inconsiderate, pompous ass. It's actually because she's an escort, and either she didn't tell him, or he didn't ask.]]

* SinisterSchnoz: A couple of times, we get a close look at one of Slowik's unnamed female cooks, who has quite a big nose.