The following review contains spoilers about the plot of “The Menu.”

“The Menu,” in theaters since Nov. 17, is a sophisticated, uniquely modern film starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes, and Judith Light, alongside other impressive actors. Incorporating harsh architectural lines and a strong but neutral color palette in an otherwise natural setting, the film, set on a secluded island, offers a commentary on the glorification of food culture and its terrifying potential transformation from a once-noble standing to a new form of mass consumption.

The tyrannical villain of the story, Julian Slowik (Fiennes), is a highly decorated chef obsessed with precision, attention to detail, and control. In his restaurant, Slowik painstakingly creates a seemingly perfect, ever-changing menu that reflects the island, the seasons, and the customers. On the evening that the film takes place, each customer has been carefully chosen to partake in Slowik’s final dinner — a last gift, per se, to the world of haute cuisine.

When protagonist Margot (Taylor-Joy) appears as a surprise guest for the evening, her presence throws many, especially Slowik, off guard. Margot, unimpressed by the elaborate food, offers a reality check on the quite overblown expression of food culture portrayed in the film.

One particularly incredible element of the film is its set, which emphasizes Slowik’s own precision. From the crustacean-covered shore to the quaint smokehouse, the attention to detail and interaction between modernity and nature are clearly at their peak. One element of the set that is quite interesting, for instance, is the chef’s cottage, which is an almost exact replica of the dining room itself. This creates the uncanny, almost “The Shining”-like atmosphere of psychological-thriller films, posing even more questions as to the mysterious background of the chef.

The film demonstrates the fine line between fiction and reality. The premise of a chef attracting people to an island and feeding them a many-course, inevitably intricate meal is very believable in our own modern food culture. Yet this film shows obsession going one step too far: A reminder, perhaps, that food should be nourishing and comforting — something that will simply make one happy, as highlighted by Margot in the film.

Fiennes, historically a master at portraying evil, played Slowik very well, balancing the power and precision of a chef with a subtle insanity behind his eyes. Taylor-Joy’s character, the exact opposite of Slowik, provides a counterbalance to the chef, leaving much to say behind her eyes as well.

Tension is maintained very effectively throughout the film. With the frightening, powerful clap of Slowik’s hands, the attention of the cooks in the kitchen, and the delicate poetry he uses to describe each dish, one is captivated by both terror and amazement by the atmosphere Slowik creates.

By about halfway through their meal, the diners begin to understand what Slowik’s plans are, but they accept their fate a little too quickly. While watching, viewers may forget that this entire movie occurs over the course of only a few hours. Therefore, the evolution and progression of characters within the plot seems a little forced and not entirely realistic.

Other than the strange dynamic between Fiennes and Taylor-Joy — who seem to be both friends and foes — the other characters are less straightforward. Each is, in one way or another, a flawed being, burdened by mistakes of a varying scale.

Ultimately, “The Menu” examines how, while people may be drawn to the idea of perfection, nothing is truly perfect. The film serves as a reminder that beauty always exists in the imperfections — something Slowik has abysmally, and fatally, forgotten.