Antoni Porowski stands for a portrait. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
The following is a press release from National Geographic:
Every dish tells a story. National Geographic has released the trailer and key art for the mouthwatering new series NO TASTE LIKE HOME WITH ANTONI POROWSKI, set to premiere Feb. 23, 2025 on National Geographic and stream next day on Disney+ and Hulu. This tantalizing docuseries invites viewers to join culinary expert and Emmy® Award-winning star of “Queer Eye” Antoni Porowski as he guides celebrity guests on epic journeys to explore their ancestral gastronomic roots.
From the bustling streets of Italy to the lush jungles of Borneo, each episode promises an exploration of the rich heritage tied to beloved family recipes. With a star lineup that includes Emmy-winning actress Awkwafina (“A Real Bug’s Life,” “Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens”), SAG-nominated actor Henry Golding (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare”), Emmy-nominated actor James Marsden (“Paradise,” “Sonic the Hedgehog 3”), Academy Award®-nominated actress Florence Pugh (“We Live in Time,” “Dune: Part Two”), Emmy-nominated actress Issa Rae (“Insecure,” “American Fiction”), and Emmy-winning actor Justin Theroux (“The Leftovers,” “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice”), the series serves up a delectable blend of food, culture and personal discovery.
“It’s a beautiful adventure to discover our past through the great connector that is food,” said Porowski. “I’m honored to go on this journey of self-discovery with new and old friends alongside National Geographic as we learn together about the ways different cultures celebrate food and experience their traditions.”
In each episode, Antoni and his guests uncover the unique stories behind cherished family dishes, such as the delicious origins of Theroux’s family pasta in Italy or the delectable flavors of Awkwafina’s Korean heritage. Along the way, they meet local travelers who share their own family stories and culinary traditions, culminating in a family meal that includes a classic dish from the region that will illuminate the beauty of each culture. From dining with royalty to off-roading 4x4s, each culinary adventure is filled with heartwarming moments, vibrant flavors, and surprising revelations that dive deep into the stories behind each guest’s ancestry.
Episodes include: ● “FLORENCE PUGH’S ENGLISH ODYSSEY” Premieres Feb. 23 at 9/8c Antoni helps Florence explore the origins of her family’s passion for food as they travel through Oxford, the Yorkshire coast and London. Together, they encounter delicious dishes and discover stories of ancestors whose livelihoods set in motion this embrace of food that has transcended generations.
Clinton Pugh, Florence Pugh and Antoni Porowski prep the roast dinner. (National Geographic/Chris Raphael)
Tommy Banks, Antoni Porowski and Florence Pugh at the Black Swan. (National Geographic/Chris Raphael)
Antoni Porowski and Florence Pugh on a boat on the Thames. (National Geographic/Chris Raphael)
Tommy Banks, Florence Pugh, Antoni Porowski and Tommy Banks Sr. on the Banks family farm in Yorkshire. (National Geographic/Chris Raphael)
Florence Pugh and Antoni Porowksi pose as they cross under Tower Bridge. (National Geographic/Chris Raphael)
Antoni Porowski and Florence Pugh look at archive papers that reveal details about Florence’s ancestral history. (National Geographic/Chris Raphael)
The completed roast dinner. (National Geographic/Chris Raphael)
Florence Pugh, Megan Owens and Antoni Porowski walk and talk in St Pancras Gardens. (National Geographic/Chris Raphael)
Florence Pugh and Antoni Porowski chat at The Black Swan. (National Geographic/Chris Raphael)
Florence Pugh attempts to herd sheep in Yorkshire. (National Geographic/Chris Raphael)
Shepherd’s Pie plated with green beans. (National Geographic/Chris Raphael)
Antoni Porowski and Florence Pugh walk through a field in Yorkshire. (National Geographic/Chris Raphael)
Scarlet Ireton, Antoni Porowski, Deborah Mackin, Clinton Pugh, Granny Pat, Florence Pugh, and Toby Sebastian cheers at the dinner table. (National Geographic/Chris Raphael)
Florence Pugh and Antoni Porowski at the Black Swan having wine and tea. (National Geographic)
The Shepherd’s Pie is put into the oven. (National Geographic/Chris Raphael)
Florence Pugh and Antoni Porowski ride a boar on the Thames. (National Geographic/Chris Raphael)
Florence Pugh and Antoni Porowski watch London Bridge open. (National Geographic)
Deborah Mackin, Florence Pugh, Antoni Porowski and Pat Mackin in the kitchen eating Shepherd’s Pie. (National Geographic)
● “AWKWAFINA’S KOREAN HOMECOMING” Premieres Feb. 23 at 10/9c Awkwafina lost her mother at a young age. Eager to help her reconnect with her South Korean culinary and ancestral heritage, Antoni curates a voyage of discovery filled with new experiences, family revelations, and evocative flavors, which combine to give Awkwafina a new perspective on her own identity.
Awkwafina at Shin Aga’s house. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and Awkwafina stand for a portrait. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Jain Song, Antoni Porowski and Awkwafina explore Korean street food at Tongin Market. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Antoni Porowski at Shin Aga’s house. (National Geographic)
Tteok, a sweet cake made from rice flower. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Awkwafina, Junghoon Lee and Antoni Porowski ride the tractor at Cheongdom Farm. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski, Jun Lee and Awkwafina at Cheongdom Farm. (National Geographic)
Akwafina’s grandmother Powah Lum, Awkwafina and Antoni Porowski at Powah’s house. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and Awkwafina talk after making kimchi. (National Geographic)
Mark Peterson points to where Awkwafina’s family is recorded in the jokbo, a Korean book of genealogy. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Yoon Hee Lee waves goodbye to Antoni Porowski, Mark Peterson, and Awkwafina after showing them how to make tteok. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Awkwafina and Insook Kim making Kimchi at Shin Aga’s house. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and Awkwafina ride the tractor at Cheongdom Farm. (National Geographic)
Awkwafina tries the tteok she made earlier in the day. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Yoon Hee Lee and Awkwafina make tteok, a sweet cake made from rice flour, while Mark Peterson and Antoni Porowski chat in the background. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Antoni Porowski, Awkwafina, Insook Kim, Junho Lee and Shin Aga make Kimchi. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and Awkwafina in the upcoming docuseries NO TASTE LIKE HOME WITH ANTONI POROWSKI. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Awkwafina at Café Orda. (National Geographic)
Awkwafina and Antoni Porowski at Cheongdom Farm. (National Geographic)
Awkwafina stands for a portrait. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Yoon Hee Lee and Awkwafina cut into a squash while making tteok. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Antoni Porowski, Awkwafina, Jain Song and Sonmat eat at the Kimbap stall at Tongin Market. (National Geographic)
Yoon Hee Lee and Awkwafina make tteok, a sweet cake made from rice flour. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Awkwafina at Mrs. Kwon’s house. (National Geographic)
Awkwafina and Antoni Porowski look out at Namsan viewpoint. (National Geographic)
Mark Peterson and Hong Chun Heon, the village elder, meet with Antoni Porowski and Awkwafina to discuss her family history. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Antoni Porowski and Awkwafina meet with genealogy specialist Mark Peterson in Daeyul-ri, South Korea.(Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Antoni Porowski and Awkwafina meet with genealogy specialist Mark Peterson in Daeyul-ri, South Korea.(Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Antoni Porowski and Awkwafina in Daeyul-ri, South Korea. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Antoni Porowski and Awkwafina in Daeyul-ri, South Korea. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Antoni Porowski, Awkwafina, Hyeonsook Kwon, and Junho Lee at Mrs. Kwon’s house making seaweed soup. (National Geographic)
Yoon Hee Lee and Awkwafina make tteok, a sweet cake made from rice flour. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Antoni Porowski and Awkwafina in Daeyul-ri, South Korea. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Awkwafina and Antoni Porowski walk through a market in Daegu. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
The table with a spread of Korean BBQ. (National Geographic)
Awkwafina stands for a portrait. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Mrs. Kwon’s house, where Antoni and Awkwafina visit to make seaweed soup. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Antoni Porowski and Awkwafina hug outside of Mrs. Kwon’s house. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
A view of Seoul from the Namsan Cable Car. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Awkwafina and Antoni Porowski meet with Awkwafina’s mother’s childhood friends at Café Orda. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Awkwafina and Antoni Porowski look at the view of Seoul after riding in Namsan Cable Car. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Behind-the-scenes of Antoni Porowski and Awkwafina in Daeyul-ri, South Korea. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Antoni Porowski, Shin Aga and Awkwafina after kimchi making at Shin Aga’s house. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Awkwafina at the viewpoint after riding in Namsan Cable Car. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Antoni Porowski and Awkwafina at Mrs. Kwon’s house. (National Geographic)
Mark Peterson and Hong Chun Heon meet with Awkwafina and Antoni Porowski in Daeyul-ri, South Korea. (Credit: National Geographic/Seong Joon Cho)
Awkwafina and Antoni ride the tractor at Cheongdom Farm. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Jain Song, Antoni Porowski and Awkwafina at Tongin Market. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
● “JUSTIN THEROUX’S ITALIAN QUEST” Premieres March 2 at 9/8c Seeking the origins of a family pasta dish, Antoni takes Justin on an Italian road trip full of delicious discoveries and surprising revelations. From chasing chickens to harvesting clams, they sample the region’s finest food and uncover how Justin’s Italian ancestry relates to a family dish that made its way across the Atlantic.
Antoni Porowski and Justin Theroux walk into the courtyard at Locanda del Falco. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Justin Theroux and Antoni Porowski dine at Locanda del Falco’s courtyard. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Justin Theroux and Antoni Porowski talk with Nick Terpstra at Chiesa di Santa Maria Della Consolazione. (National Geographic)
Justin Theroux at Stradella. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Antoni Porowski at Stradella. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Justin Theroux and Antoni Porowski ride on the back of Eugenio Franchi’s tractor. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Antoni Porowski and Justin Theroux stand for a portrait. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Antoni Porowski and Justin Theroux at Chiesa di Santa Maria Della Consolazione. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski, Fabio Delledonne, Chiara Beretta and Justin Theroux at Ristorante Belrespiro. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Antoni Porowski and Justin Theroux laugh while making tortelli at Ristorante Belrespiro. (National Geographic)
Tortellini in Brodo. (National Geographic)
Justin Theroux and Antoni Porowski share a meal at Piazeri Di Lucrezia. (National Geographic)
Justin Theroux, Anna Carretti, Antoni Porowski, Marissa Cotti and Riccardo Cotti make Tortellini in Brodo at Antica Osteria del Mirasole. (National Geographic)
Appetizers at Locanda del Falco. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Antoni Porowski and Justin Theroux in a boat on the Po Delta. (National Geographic/Philippe Antonello)
Fabio Delledone shows Antoni Porowski and Justin Theroux how to make tortelli at Ristorante Belrespiro. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski at the Lamb Comune Stradella. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Locanda del Falco. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Franco Cinhi, Anna Carretti and Justin Theroux make Tortellini in Brodo at Antica Osteria del Mirasole. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski, Justin Theroux, Marissa Cotti and Riccardo Cotti make Tortellini in Brodo at Antica Osteria del Mirasole. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and Justin Theroux outside Antica Osteria del Mirasole. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Behind-the-scenes of Antoni Porowski and Justin Theroux harvesting clams from the Po River alongside Simona and Germano. (National Geographic/Philippe Antonello)
Massimiliano Costa, Justin Theroux, and Antoni Porowski are served clams by Simona and Germano. (National Geographic/Philippe Antonello)
Simona, Antoni Porowski, Germano, and Justin Theroux work together to harvest clams from the Po River. (National Geographic/Philippe Antonello)
Massimiliano Costa, Justin Theroux, and Antoni Porowski dine on clams with Germano.(National Geographic/Philippe Antonello)
A bowl of clams harvested from the Po River. (National Geographic/Philippe Antonello)
Antoni Porowski, Justin Theroux and Massimiliano Costa chat in a boat on the Po Delta. (National Geographic/Philippe Antonello)
Antoni Porowski and Justin Theroux in the upcoming docuseries NO TASTE LIKE HOME WITH ANTONI POROWSKI. (Credit: National Geographic/Philippe Antonello)
Antoni Porowski and Justin Theroux work with Germano to harvest clams from the Po River. (National Geographic/Philippe Antonello)
Antoni Porowski and Justin Theroux eating guinea fowl at Locanda del Falco. (National Geographic)
Justin Theroux and Antoni Porowski read a document related to Justin’s ancestors’ past. (National Geographic)
Justin Theroux and Antoni Porowski at the Stradella steps. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and Justin Theroux eating guinea fowl at Locanda del Falco. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and Justin Theroux taste the tortelli they’ve just made. (National Geographic)
Justin Theroux and Antoni Porowski in the kitchen at Locanda del Falco. (National Geographic)
Guinea fowl is hit with a mallet before serving at Locanda del Falco. (National Geographic)
Justin Theroux and Antoni Porowski outside S. Pietro Apostolo Church. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski during dinner after a day on the Po Delta. (National Geographic/Philippe Antonello)
Antoni Porowski, Justin Theroux and Massimiliano Costa chat in a boat on the Po Delta. (National Geographic)
Justin Theroux at Piazeri Di Lucrezia. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and Justin Theroux in a boat on the Po Delta. (National Geographic/Philippe Antonello)
Justin Theroux at the Stradella steps. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and Justin Theroux at the Stradella steps. (National Geographic)
Justin Theroux at Parrocchia Di S. Pietro Apostolo. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Justin Theroux at Parrocchia Di S. Pietro Apostolo. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
● “JAMES MARSDEN’S GERMAN DISH UP” Premieres March 2 at 10/9c On the hunt for the origins of the Marsden family’s beloved chicken fried steak, Antoni takes James from the Texas plains to Germany. Together, they discover just how much the experiences of his German forebears have shaped James’ family history. While dining with royalty and scaling the Bavarian Alps, they unearth dramatic secrets behind James’ ancestors’ decision to emigrate.
Antoni Porowski and Justin Theroux at Chiesa di Santa Maria Della Consolazione. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and James Marsden at Smitty’s Market in Lockhart, TX. (National Geographic/Amy Mikler)
An aerial view of Piacenza. (National Geographic)
A spread of Texas barbecue at Smitty’s Market. (National Geographic/Amy Mikler)
Antoni Porowski at Schloss Bückeburg. (National Geographic)
James Marsden at Schloss Bückeburg. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and James Marsden at Rössle Biergarten. (National Geographic)
Chef Bastian Ebert meets with James Marsden and Antoni Porowski to teach them how to make heart and tongue croquettes. (National Geographic/Bernd Schuller)
Antoni Porowski and James Marsden arrive in Lockhart, TX to try Texas barbecue. (National Geographic/Amy Mikler)
James Marsden and Antoni Porowski laugh over a shared plate of Texas barbecue. (National Geographic/Amy Mikler)
James Marsden plays the piano in the ballroom at Schloss Bückeburg. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
In NO TASTE LIKE HOME WITH ANTONI POROWSKI, Antoni and James Marsden travel to Bavaria, where James’ ancestors are from. (National Geographic/Bernd Schuller)
Hoover Alexander, Antoni Porowski, and Jim Kearney discuss the origins of Texas barbecue. (National Geographic/Amy Mikler)
James Marsden and Antoni Porowski make schnitzel. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
A glimpse at how the sausage is made at Smitty’s Market in Lockhart, TX. (National Geographic/Amy Mikler)
James Marsden during his trip to Bavaria to learn more about his family history. (National Geographic/Bernd Schuller)
In NO TASTE LIKE HOME WITH ANTONI POROWSKI, Antoni and James Marsden travel to Bavaria, where James’ ancestors are from. (National Geographic/Bernd Schuller)
Antoni Porowski in Bavaria. (National Geographic/Bernd Schuller)
Antoni Porowski and James Marsden in the upcoming docuseries NO TASTE LIKE HOME WITH ANTONI POROWSKI. (Credit: National Geographic/Amy Mikler)
James Marsden learns about Texas barbecue. (National Geographic/Amy Mikler)
James Marsden and Antoni Porowski hike through Bavaria. (National Geographic/Bernd Schuller)
James Marsden and Antoni Porowski stand for a portrait while hiking in Bavaria. (National Geographic/Bernd Schuller)
James Marsden chats with Jim Kearney about the origins of Texas barbecue. (National Geographic/Amy Mikler)
James Marsden and Antoni Porowski eat Chicken Fried Steak in James’ family home. (National Geographic)
James Marsden makes a meal with Chef Bastian Ebert. (National Geographic/Bernd Schuller)
James Marsden and Antoni Porowski make schnitzel. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
James Marsden at Rössle Biergarten. (National Geographic)
A spread of Texas barbecue at Smitty’s Market. (National Geographic/Amy Mikler)
Antoni Porowski on horseback on Jim’s ranch. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
James Marsden in Bavaria. (National Geographic/Bernd Schuller)
James Marsden, Antoni Porowski and Jim Kearney ride horses on Jim’s ranch. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Antoni Porowski and James Marsden stand for a portrait in Bavaria. (National Geographic/Bernd Schuller)
James Marsden and Antoni Porowski at the bar at Alpine Schlossanger. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and James Marsden at the bar at Rössle Biergarten. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Antoni Porowski and James Marsden arrive in Lockhart, TX to try Texas barbecue. (National Geographic/Amy Mikler)
Behind-the-scenes of James Marsden and Antoni Porowski in Bavaria for NO TASTE LIKE HOME WITH ANTONI POROWSKI. (National Geographic/Bernd Schuller)
Antoni Porowski at James Marsden’s family home.(National Geographic)
Prince Donatus Schamburg-Lippe gives James Marsden and Antoni Porowski a tour of the chapel at Schloss Bückeburg. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Final touches are added to the Innereien-Kroketten. (National Geographic)
Barbecue is prepared at Smitty’s Market. (National Geographic/Amy Mikler)
Hoover Alexander, James Marsden, and Jim Kearney discuss the origins of Texas barbecue. (National Geographic/Amy Mikler)
James Marsden and Antoni Porowski chat outside Schloss Bückeburg in Hannover, Germany. (National Geographic)
James Marsden and Antoni Porowski on horseback on Jim’s ranch. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
James Marsden and Antoni Porowski talk at the bar at Alpine Schlossanger. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and James Marsden ride bikes through Hannover. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and James Marsden on Jim’s ranch before herding cattle. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
James Marsden on horseback on Jim’s ranch. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Antoni Porowski, James Marsden and Jim Kearney on horseback on Jim’s ranch. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and James Marsden review documents related to James’ ancestors. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and James Marsden walk into Schloss Bückeburg. (National Geographic)
James Marsden and Antoni Porowski cook Chicken Fried Steak at James’ family home. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
James Marsden and Antoni Porowski cheers. (National Geographic)
Prince Donatus Schamburg-Lippe, James Marsden and Antoni Porowski in the ballroom at Schloss Bückeburg. (National Geographic)
James Marsden and Antoni Porowski pause during a hike in Bavaria. (National Geographic)
● “ISSA RAE’S SENEGALESE ROYAL ROOTS” Premieres March 9 at 9/8c Antoni takes Issa to her father’s homeland of Senegal, where they uncover ancestral stories of powerful women and royal connections. Through this culinary journey, Issa learns more about her family’s epic history and how it all relates to her own identity.
Bakary Soumare, Issa Rae and Antoni Porowski prep the Maafe for a meal with Issa’s aunties. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Antoni Porowski, Aissa Diop, Moi Ndeye Fatou and Issa Rae making Soupe Kanja. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Aissa Diop, Issa Rae and Marie Diop wait for the Soupe Kanja to be served. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Antoni Porowski and Issa Rae walk on the beach in Dakar, Senegal. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Soupe Kanja, a traditional Senegalese dish. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Aissa Diop, Issa Rae and Marie Diop dine on Soupe Kanja. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Soupe Kanja, a traditional Senegalese dish. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Antoni Porowski, Issa Rae, Papa Abdoulaye Sene and Hamade Ndiaye at the compound. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Issa Rae and Antoni Porowski walking through Papa Abdoulaye Sene’s compound. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Issa Rae and Antoni Porowski help prepare the ceere mboum, a traditional Senegalese dish. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Antoni Porowski and Issa Rae sit at the market in Dakar, Senegal. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Antoni Porowski in Dakar, Senegal. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Marie Caroline, Abi Diedhiou, Issa Rae and Antoni Porowski prepare the ceere mboum, a traditional Senegalese dish. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Issa Rae in Saint-Louis, Senegal. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Mama Yacine, Fatima Fall, Issa Rae, Antoni Porowski, Papa Abdoulaye Sene and Hamade Ndiaye sit in a circle eating Ceebu jën. (Credit: National Geographic/John Wendle)
The process of making Soupe Kanja. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Issa Rae in Dakar, Senegal. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Marie Diop, Marie Diop, Aissa Diop, Issa Rae and Moi Ndeye Fatou. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Issa Rae in Saint-Louis, Senegal. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Issa Rae and Antoni Porowski walk along the beach in Dakar. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and Issa Rae outside Mama Yacine’s house in Saint-Louis, Senegal. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Antoni Porowski and Marie Caroline look through Marie’s book collection. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Issa Rae and Antoni Porowski smell the moringa leaves they’ve just picked. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Marie Caroline, Abi Diedhiou, Issa Rae and Antoni Porowski prepare the ceere mboum, a traditional Senegalese dish. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Fatima Fall, Issa Rae, Antoni Porowski, Papa Abdoulaye Sene and Hamade Ndiaye gather and wait for the Ceebu jën. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Antoni Porowski and Issa Rae walk through the streets of Saint-Louis, Senegal. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Issa Rae, Antoni Porowski and Abdou Karim Fall meet in Saint-Louis. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Aissa Diop, Issa Rae, Marie Diop, Moi Ndeye Fatou and Antoni Porowski about to eat Soupe Kanja. (National Geographic)
Issa Rae, Antoni Porowski and Marie Caroline talk about the benefits of moringa. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Abi Diedhiou and Antoni Porowski making lalo. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Issa Rae and Antoni Porowski are excited to taste Ceebu jën. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski in Saint-Louis, Senegal. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Antoni Porowski and Issa Rae hug on a roof in Saint-Louis, Senegal. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Antoni Porowski and Issa Rae on the beach in Saint-Louis, Senegal. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Issa Rae and Antoni Porowski walk on the beach in Dakar, Senegal. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Antoni Porowski picks moringa leaves as Issa Rae looks on. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Antoni Porowski, Issa Rae and Abdou Karim Fall eat Thiof on the beach. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski and Issa Rae meet Papa Abdoulaye Sene and Hamade Ndiaye at the compound. (National Geographic)
Antoni Porowski, Issa Rae and Abdou Karim Fall eat thiof on the beach in Saint-Louis. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Antoni Porowski and Issa Rae chat on a roof in Saint-Louis, Senegal. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Issa Rae preps the Maafe, a West-African dish consisting of meat in a peanut sauce served over rice or couscous. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Antoni Porowski and Issa Rae chat on a roof in Saint-Louis, Senegal. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Issa Rae in Saint-Louis, Senegal. (National Geographic/John Wendle)
Antoni Porowski at Stradella. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Bakary Soumare, Issa Rae and Antoni Porowski prepare the Maafe. (National Geographic)
● “HENRY GOLDING’S MALAYSIAN ADVENTURE” Premieres March 9 at 10/9c Antoni takes Henry to Borneo, where they unearth family stories and taste their way to a deeper connection with Henry’s mother’s Iban heritage. As they cook with long-lost family and newfound friends, Henry learns that genealogy in this oral tradition is about far more than storytelling.
Henry Golding and Antoni Porowski walk a bridge along the river in Bantang Ai. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Henry Golding and Antoni Porowski pose with Peter in Batang Ai. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Henry Golding and Antoni Porowski on the waterfront in Kuching. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Henry Golding and Antoni Porowski learn about Iban history from a guide as they tour the river in Bantang Ai. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Henry Golding and Antoni Porowski pose for a picture in Bantang Ai. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Henry Golding and Antoni Porowski feed fish at Friendship Park. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Antoni Porowski in Bantang Ai.(Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Peter holds a dish filled with buah maram, lemongrass, torch ginger and other ingredients. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Henry Golding in Bantang Ai. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Henry Golding and Antoni Porowski walk a bridge along the river in Bantang Ai. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Henry Golding and Antoni Poroski try buah maram or sour palm. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Peter prepares Ikan Semah for Henry Golding and Antoni Porowski. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Peter prepares Ikan semah for Henry Golding and Antoni Porowski. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Henry Golding and Antoni Porowski pose together in Bangtang Ai. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Antoni Porowski, Henry Golding and Peter enjoy a meal together in Batang Ai. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Henry Golding and Antoni Porowski in Bangtang Ai. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Henry Golding in Bantang Ai. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Antoni Porowski and Henry Golding taste the Ikan Semah. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Antoni Porowski and Henry Golding sit down for a meal in Batang Ai. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Henry Golding and Antoni Porowski learn about Iban history from a guide as they tour the river in Bantang Ai. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
View of Batang Ai National Park, Malaysia. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Dishes served at Pematoh Longhouse. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Peter prepares Ikan Semah for Henry Golding and Antoni Porowski. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Henry Golding and Antoni Porowski spot a durian tree while walking through the Jungle. (National Geographic)
The mountains of Betong. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Peter, Henry Golding and Antoni Porowksi preparing Semah fish in the Jungle. (National Geographic)
A cluster of trees in the river in Batang Ai. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Antoni Porowski, Abang Anak Engkamat and Henry Golding fill bamboo with rice at Pematoh Longhouse. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Maynard Langet, Henry Golding and Antoni Porowski drink Tuak at Nagai Pangan. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Peter, Henry Golding, Antoni Porowksi and Fraser on a boat in Batang Ai. (National Geographic)
Close-up of cooked Ikan Semah dish wrapped in leaves. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Antoni Porowski in Betong, Borneo. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Antoni Porowski, Henry Golding, Abang Anak Engkamat and Nicholas Duda Anak Gardi cut bamboo at Pematoh Longhouse. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Antoni Porowski, Henry Golding and Peter say a Malaysian cheers before eating their meal in Batang Ai. (Credit: National Geographic/Annice Lyn)
Henry Golding and Antoni Porowski cheers Tuak at the family meal. (National Geographic)
Nicholas Duda Anak Gardi, Antoni Porowski, Abang Anak Engkamat and Henry Golding fill bamboo with rice at Pematoh Longhouse. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Henry Golding and Antoni Porowski walk down Carpenter Street in Kuching. (National Geographic)
Sheep graze in a field in Yorkshire. (National Geographic/Chris Raphael)
Abang Anak Engkamat holding his rice filled bamboo at Pematoh Longhouse. (National Geographic/Rebecca Eishow)
Get ready for heartwarming stories, unforgettable flavors, and the joyous exploration of what it means to be connected to our past through food.
NO TASTE LIKE HOME WITH ANTONI POROWSKI is produced by Studio Ramsay Global, building on the prolific food programming relationship between Gordon Ramsay’s production outfit and National Geographic, a partnership rooted in creating four seasons of the award-winning food travelogue GORDON RAMSAY: UNCHARTED. As well as presenting, Porowski will executive produce the series alongside Ramsay and Lisa Edwards. The showrunner is Robin O’Sullivan, and the executive in charge of production is Jill Greenwood. The series is directed by Leo McRea, Jenny Dames and Graeme Hart. For National Geographic, Betsy Forhan is executive producer, Charlie Parsons is senior vice president of Development, Bengt Anderson is senior vice president of Unscripted Production, and Tom McDonald is executive vice president of Global Factual and Unscripted Content.
Pictured clockwise, from left to right: Alex Pettyfer, Alan Ritchson, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Henry Golding and Henry Cavill in “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” (Photo by Dan Smith/Lionsgate)
Culture Representation: Taking place in 1942, in the United Kingdom, Fernando Po (now known as Bioko), the Canary Islands, and the Atlantic Ocean, the action film “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” (based on true events) features a predominantly white cast of characters (with some black people, a few Asian people and one Latina) representing the working-class, middle-class and wealthy.
Culture Clash: A group of rogues, who are secretly recruited by the U.K. government, team up with U.K. government spies in a plan to defeat Nazi German U-boats in the Atlantic Ocean.
Culture Audience: “The Ministry of Gentlemanly Warfare” will appeal primarily to people who are fans of filmmaker Guy Ritchie, the movie’s headliners, and unimaginative action movies taking place during World War II.
Eiza González in “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” (Photo by Dan Smith/Lionsgate)
“The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” could have been a superb film for history-based movies that take place during World War II. Instead, this tedious spy-and-combat clunker has bland dialogue, mediocre action scenes, and hollow main characters. There’s also gross sexism in how the token female character’s purpose is literally described as “seducer” in the movie. “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” is so biased and inaccurate with its machismo, there is only one woman who has a significant speaking role in this disappointing film, which diminishes or erases the large number of women who made important contributions to World War II. Out of all the cast members who have character names in the movie, only two are women, and one of them has only a few minutes of screen time.
Directed by Guy Ritchie, “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” was written by Ritchie, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson and Arash Amel. The movie’s screenplay is adapted from Damien Lewis’ 2015 non-fiction book “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: How Churchill’s Secret Warriors Set Europe Ablaze and Gave Birth to Modern Black Ops,” which is based on true events revealed in declassified documents. A caption in the beginning of the movie says that the story is based on former U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s files that were declassified in 2016, the year after Lewis’ aforementioned book was published. This book is not to be confused with Giles Milton’s 2015 non-fiction book “Churchill’s Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.”
Ritchie has made a career out of directing male-oriented action movies, but the quality of these movies has gone downhill since his best films in the 2000s, even if the budgets for Ritchie’s movies have been noticeably higher in subsequent decades. The one time that Ritchie had a woman as the lead character in a feature film that he directed—2002’s terrible romantic drama “Swept Away,” starring Madonna, who was married to Ritchie at the time—it was a disastrous flop on every single level.
It’s unknown if the failure of “Swept Away” turned Ritchie off from ever doing a movie again where a woman is the central protagonist. However, his filmmaking track record indicates he’s only comfortable directing movies where women are the supporting characters and are usually tokens whose roles are either “wife,” “girlfriend” or “seductress,” while the male characters in Ritchie’s films get to have the most fun. “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” is just more of the same sexist pattern.
“The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” (which takes place in 1942) unfolds in an unnecessarily convoluted way that drags down the pace of the movie. The movie’s opening scene shows a British-owned boat in the Atlantic Ocean’s “Nazi-controlled waters” being overtaken by Nazis. The Nazi commanding officer (played by Jens Grund) coldly announces to the boat’s captured men that he usually gives detainees on a ship or boat the choice of either jumping overboard or taking their chances when the vessel is set on fire.
As the vessel is about to be destroyed by Nazi arson, the captured boat occupants fight back and kill the Nazis. After they defeat these villains, they blow up the Nazi ship nearby. Who are these men with almost superhero-like fighting skills? They are a motley crew of rogues and renegades who will soon be recruited by the Churchill-led U.K. government to defeat Nazi German U-boats in the Atlantic Ocean.
And all of these “heroes” happen to unrealisitically look like extremely good-looking actors. The group’s leader is a dashing Brit named Gus March-Phillips (played by Henry Cavill), who does his fair share of posing and smirking throughout the movie. Gus is the type of leader who doesn’t pass up the chance to make wisecracking quips, but the “jokes” in this movie mostly fall flat. These “jokes” might elicit a few short chuckles but nothing that will turn into sustained laugh-out-loud moments.
Gus has a group of guys he likes to work with and who all have shady pasts like he does. They include Anders Lassen (played Alan Ritchson), who is described as a Danish “legend with a bow and arrow” and an “uncontrollable mad dog”; Freddy Alvarez (played by Henry Golding), who is a convicted arsonist; and Henry Hayes (played by Hero Fiennes Tiffin), an Irishman whose brother was killed in a U-boat sunk by the Nazis. The characters of Gus March-Phillips and Anders Lassen are based on real people with the same names, although the real Gus March-Phillipps had a slightly different spelling of his last name. Henry Hayes is based on the real-life Graham Hayes. Freddy Alvarez is a character fabricated for this movie.
Another member of this rebellious group is Geoffrey Appleyard (played by Alex Pettyfer), a Brit who is described as “a master planner, a master survivor, a master surgeon” and “an expert with a blade.” Geoffrey Appleyard is also based on a real person with the same name. In this movie, Geoffrey isn’t quite the master planner he is described as, because he’s gotten himself captured in a Nazi prison in the Canary Islands’ La Palma. Guess who’s going to break him out of this prison?
Before this prison breakout scene happens, there are some choppily edited scenes showing how this “ministry” was formed during World War II. Despite Gus’ tension-filled and rocky history with the U.K. government, Prime Minister Churchill (played by a miscast Rory Kinnear) wants Gus to lead a secret group of operatives who will be on a mission to defeat Nazi German U-boats in the Atlantic Ocean, near Fernando Po, an Equatorial Guinea island which is now known as Bioko.
Gus is summoned to Special Operations Executive headquarters in London, where he meets with Prime Minister Churchill and four other people who are in this office meeting: Brigadier Gubbins, nicknamed M (played by Cary Elwes); spy Ian Fleming (played by Freddie Fox); spy Marjorie Stewart (played by Eiza González); and spy Richard Heron (played by Babs Olusanmokun), who is called Heron in the movie. Brigadier Gubbins is based on the real-life major-general Colin McVean Gubbins. The characters of Ian Fleming and Marjorie Stewart are also based on real people. Heron is a character who was fabricated for the movie.
One of the worst things about this movie is that it doesn’t tell much about Ian Fleming, who would later become famous in real life as the author of James Bond novels. In “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” Ian Fleming has a blank personality. Marjorie is described as an “actress, singer and seducer” with German Jewish heritage on her mother’s side of the family. Heron’s main claim to fame is that he throws great parties. Marjorie and Heron are the spies who have the most contact with Gus and his gang.
The mission is so secretive, most British military officials don’t know about it. Therefore, people on the mission are warned that they not only must avoid being captured by Nazis, they also must avoid being arrested by British officials. Brigadier Gubbins is stereotypically a bureaucrat type who inevitably clashes with the more freewheeling Gus. Brigadier Gubbins is supposed to be Gus’ direct supervisor on this mission, but Gus naturally resists this authority.
It should be noted that “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” is not as integrated as it appears to be. For a great deal of the movie, especially in the first half, Margorie and Heron (who is black) work together and do not interact with the other people on the team. It’s an off-putting way of showing “let’s put the woman and black person over there, and everyone else can go over here.” When Margorie and Heron eventually do work directly with Gus and his group, it looks very contrived for the movie.
Margorie had a fascinating story in real life, including a marriage to Gus that is only mentioned in the movie’s epilogue. Unfortunately, in this movie, Margorie is reduced to being a “sexpot sidekick” who occasionally uses a gun. Fans of González can at least take comfort in knowing that González does the best that she can with a limited role. And for what it’s worth, Marjorie has the best costumes in the movie, even if those costumes predictably include dresses where she has to show her breast cleavage. It should come as no surprise that Marjorie has been tasked with seducing a Nazi German official named Henrich Luhr (played Til Schweiger), who has valuable information about the U-boats that the hero team wants to sink.
Heron is suave and has many friends, but his role in the movie is to provide “the entertainment,” while other people do the most difficult planning for the mission. There’s a messy section of the movie where Heron has arranged two parties happening at the same time: a costume party for Nazi officers (where Marjorie dresses as Cleopatra, and she convinces Heinrich to dress as Julius Caesar) and a “beerfest” for Nazi soldiers. The purpose of both parties is to keep a certain dock mostly unguarded so that the “ministry” can complete its mission.
Gus and his gang of rogues (in other words, the characters in the movie who get to do the most action) are unfortunately written in generic ways where very little is told about who they are. Hardly anything is shown that proves Gus’ cronies have unique and distinct personalities, so the cast members act accordingly. Gus is not as charismatic as he thinks he is.
Likewise, the government officials also have lackluster depictions. At one point, Prime Minister Churchill says to subordinates about this mission against the Nazis: “I need you to air raid their ships … Hitler is not playing by the rules, and neither are we.” Yawn.
Kinnear is a skilled actor, but he can’t overcome the obvious flaw of looking too young to portray Prime Minister Churchill during this period of time. “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” takes place in 1942, when Churchill was 67 or 68 years old. Kinnear was in his mid-40s when he portrayed Churchill in “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” The filmmakers didn’t bother to make Kinnear look like the same age as Churchill was during this period of time. This age inaccuracy doesn’t ruin the movie, because Churchill is not a central character in this film, but it’s a noticeable flaw.
“The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” has a tone-deaf way of glossing over a lot of Nazi bigotry. The movie has an attitude of “let’s not show any of the racist and religious hate that Nazis inflicted on people” in “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare”—as if it’s assumed it’s sufficient enough to just label the Nazis as the antagonists. “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” is not a Holocaust movie, and it doesn’t have to be a lecture about the evils of Nazis’ hate, but it’s not a very responsibly made history-based film showing the damage of Nazi prejudice and hate crimes. For example, there’s a scene on a train where a uniformed Nazi has a cordial conversation with Margorie and Heron. In real life, a uniformed Nazi probably would not have been as polite and would most likely have tried to assert some type of bigoted superiority over these obviously non-Aryan people.
As for the action sequences, “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” doesn’t do anything spectacular. There isn’t even a credible attempt at building suspense. It’s just a “checklist/countdown” movie that goes from one location to the next, until the predictable conclusion. (“The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” was filmed in the United Kingdom and in the Republic of Türkiye, also known as Turkey.)
The film editing isn’t very impressive. There are too many scenes that are meant to show how “globetrotting” this movie is, but all that’s shown in several (not all) international scenes are a few minutes of dialogue that didn’t really need to be in the movie. The dialogue in this film is mostly forgettable, which is why the movie’s characters come across as cardboard personalities instead of authentic people. “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” has an attractive and talented cast, but putting them in various locations with a flimsy story does not magically turn this shallow mediocrity into a well-made or compelling movie.
Lionsgate will release “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” in U.S. cinemas on April 19. 2024. Sneak previews of the movie were shown in select U.S. cinemas on April 8, 2024, and on April 13, 2024. “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” will be released on digital and VOD on may 10, 2024.
Culture Representation: Taking place in Japan and briefly in Washington state and Los Angeles, the fantasy action flick “Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins” features a predominantly Asian cast (with some white people and African Americans) portraying a heroic ancient Japanese clan called Arashikage and the story’s villains.
Culture Clash: Members of Arashikage battle against villains from a group called Cobra, who want to take over the world.
Culture Audience: Besides the obvious target audience of people who are fans of the “G.I. Joe” games and franchise, “Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins” will appeal primarily to people who don’t mind watching mindless action flicks that don’t offer anything new or exciting to the genre.
Peter Mensah, Iko Uwais, Haruka Abe, Henry Golding and Andrew Koji in “Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins” (Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures/Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/Skydance)
The “G.I. Joe” movies never had a reputation for being well-made action classics. “Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins” won’t do anything to change that reputation. It’s a frequently dull parade of sloppily filmed action clichés and no-talent acting by some of the movie’s cast members.
No one is expecting this movie to be an Oscar-caliber film. But there should be a reasonable expectation that the action scenes will be memorable and exciting and the characters will be engaging. Instead, “Snake Eyes: G.I . Joe Origins” (directed by Robert Schwentke) follows the same, lazy formula of forgettable B-movies about people who use martial arts skills in battles of good versus evil. B-movies have just a small fraction of the reported $88 million production budget that “Snake Eyes” had, but in many ways, “Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins” doesn’t look like money well-spent.
The movie opens with an origin story cliché of a male hero in an action movie: He becomes an orphan as a child. It’s 20 years ago, in a heavily wooded area of Washington state, where a young Snake Eyes (played by Max Archibald), who’s about 11 or 12 years old and apparently doesn’t have a regular name, and his unnamed father (played by Steven Allerick) are hiding in the woods. Snake Eyes’ father doesn’t want to alarm his son, so he makes it look like they’re on some kind of adventure. (Snake Eyes’ mother is not seen or mentioned in the story.)
Father and son go to a safe house, where Snake Eyes’ father tells Snake Eyes to lock himself into a room. “Do not move, no matter what happens.” But something does happen: A ruthless villain named Mr. Augustine (played by Samuel Finzi) shows up with two thugs. Mr. Augustin rolls a pair of dice, which each end face up with a “number one”, also known as a “snake eyes” total.
Mr. Augustine and his goons rough up the father, and Snake Eyes runs out of the room to come to his father’s defense. Snake Eyes’ father is shot and killed, and Snake Eyes runs away into the woods. Before Mr. Augustine and his henchmen leave, they burn down the house.
Twenty years later, Snake Eyes (played by Henry Golding) is (cliché alert) an emotionally damaged loner living on the edge of society. He’s a drifter somewhere on the West Coast of the United States. Snake Eyes has made it his mission in life to find his father’s murderer, and kill him for revenge. Snake Eyes apparently doesn’t do much else with his life but get into brawls with strangers.
In this particular moment when viewers first see the adult Snake Eyes, he is in a brutal fight with several men, and he’s able to take on all of them, even though he’s outnumbered. (Get used to this type of unrealistic spectacle, because this movie has a lot of them.) There’s someone who’s watching this fight who’s very impressed with Snake Eyes’ fighting skills. His name is Kenta Takanura (played by Takehiro Hira), who recruits Snake Eyes to work for him. “I could use a guy like you,” Kenta tells Snake Eyes.
The next thing you know, Snake Eyes is at the Port of Los Angeles four weeks later. He’s at a warehouse filled with an all-male crew of workers who are hiding guns in large gutted fish. Snake Eyes gets suspicious over this obvious illegal activity, so Kenta tests Snake Eyes to see what kind of loyalty he has. Kenta orders Snake Eyes to shoot and kill Kenta’s cousin Tommy (played by Andrew Koji), who is also a worker at the warehouse, but Snake Eyes refuses to do it.
Instead, Snake Eyes and Tommy fight off several men in the warehouse, and the two escape by trying to drive off in a truck. However, the warehouse workers, who apparently are secret ninjas too, attack the truck by plunging several swords through the truck’s roof and windows while Snake Eyes and Tommy are inside. Apparently, none of these ninja villains thought to use the swords on the truck’s tires.
This is the type of ridiculous fight scene that litters “Snake Eyes” with mind-numbing repetition of the heroes getting out of seemingly “impossible” situations, even though they’re outnumbered and surrounded. Cops from the Los Angeles Police Department show up at the scene of the truck attack, but then the movie inexplicably cuts to Snake Eyes waking up on a luxury private plane with Tommy.
What happened after the cops showed up? Was anyone arrested? The movie doesn’t reveal any of that information, so viewers will have to assume that everything worked out for Tommy and Snake Eyes, because now they’re hanging out on a private plane as if they’re jetset adventurers. The plane is not a ramshackle aircraft: It’s first-class, with luxury amenities and staffed with attractive female flight attendants. Who’s paying for all it?
Snake Eyes is about to find out. The plane is headed to Japan, where Tommy reveals that he’s a member of a heroic ancient Japanese clan called Arashikage. Tommy is grateful that Snake Eyes saved his life, so he invites Snake Eyes to consider joining Arashikage. The leader of Arashikage is Himiko (played by Eri Ishida), a no-nonsense and traditional elderly woman who will decide if Snake Eyes can become a member of the clan.
And you know what that means: More busy-looking, logic-defying fights so that Snake Eyes can prove his worth. He has to complete three different “challenges of the warrior” before Himiko can approve Snake Eyes to Arashikage. Not surprisingly, the third and final challenge is supposed to be the hardest.
“Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins” is one of the worst-lit and wobbliest action movies you might see in recent memory. For a movie that’s not set in outer space or a location underneath the ground, the lighting is way too dark in many scenes, even when the scenes are during the day. Maybe all this dark lighting and shaky camera work (from cinematographer Bojan Bazelli) are so viewers won’t notice how mediocre the fight choreography is.
One of the few scenes in the movie that’s well-lit is at a visually striking location where there are hundreds of lighted Japanese lamps on display. It’s one of the best set designs for this overall unimpressive movie. Good set designs are wasted though when the story isn’t written well. Evan Spiliotopoulos, Anna Waterhouse and Joe Shrapnel wrote the screenplay for “Snake Eyes: G.I . Joe Origins.”
All of the movie’s characters, including Snake Eyes, are very generic. The actors are stuck with playing two-dimensional characters, with only Snake Eyes having anything that can be called a backstory. This is a pure action film: There are no distracting love stories or even a hint that these characters have personal lives. Kenta and Tommy are cousins who’ve become enemies, but their family dynamics and family history are mostly ignored in the movie.
Other characters who interact with Snake Eyes include three people who are tasked with supervising Snake Eyes in his challenges: Blind Master (played by Peter Mensah), Hard Master (played by Iko Uwais) and Akiki (played by Haruka Abe), who is Arashikage’s head of security. Akiki is skeptical of a lot of Snake Eyes’ abilities and belief, so Akiki and Snakes inevitably disagree with each other. It’s a bit of a stretch to describe their conflicts as “personality conflicts,” because you have to have a personality in the first place, and these characters have none.
Samara Weaving plays an Arashikage ally called Scarlett, but she’s not in the movie as much as a lot of viewers might think she is. There’s a female villain called Baroness (played by Úrsula Corberó), who displays the stiffest acting out of all the principal cast members. It’s hard to take a villain seriously when the person playing the villain has acting that’s so bad, it’s a distraction. Instead of the Baroness, she should’ve been called the Boringness.
And what about Snake Eyes’ quest to avenge the death of his father? The movie doesn’t forget about that. This revenge subplot is handled in a very predictable way, if you know before watching “Snake Eyes” that it’s been rated a family-friendly movie for people over the age of 12. The most obvous sign that the movie doesn’t too heavy with any violence is because there’s a lot of fighting with swords and other weapons, but there’s hardly any blood in sight.
A few of the fight scenes end too abruptly, which are signs of careless screenwriting and editing. For example, there’s a scene where Snake Eyes is trapped somewhere with attackers, and someone in Arashikage swoops in to come to his rescue. But viewers never get to see the rescue. Instead, the next scene just cuts to Snake Eyes and his rescuer back at Arashikage headquarters, as if nothing happened.
The movie makes a half-hearted attempt to throw in a few surprise curveballs, by showing one or two characters who have “fluid alliances.” But it just comes across as phony and not the shocking twist that this movie needed to liven up this formulaic story. The characters are so underwritten that viewers won’t feel like they know any of them well enough to get a sense of what the characters want to do with their lives besides join in on a fight when needed.
And if viewers are expecting an awe-inspiring mega-weapon in the movie, forget it. There’s a glowing red gem (about the size of small vase) that has the power to make people burst into flames. For a movie that cost $88 million to make, it’s kind of pathetic that’s the best they could come up with for the story’s most-coveted deadly weapon.
The visual effects in “Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins” aren’t going to be nominated for any awards. In a film called “Snake Eyes,” there are inevitable snakes in multiple action scenes. In this movie, they’re giant anacondas. But the suspense in these scenes almost becomes laughable, when Snake Eyes closes his eyes and uses a meditation technique where the meditation energy will supposedly make the attackers peaceful and willing to back away. If you want to believe that giant anacondas can tap into an inner Zen in the middle of an attack, go right ahead.
Viewers will feel like closing their eyes for a different reason: The movie is so tedious that it could put some people to sleep. You could fall asleep in the middle of the film and still know exactly what’s going happen by the end of the film. And it does. It’s all just a set-up for a sequel.
Paramount Pictures will release “Snake Eyes: G,.I. Joe Origins” in U.S. cinemas on July 23, 2021.
Culture Representation: Set in London, this group of predominantly white male characters (with a few Asians and black people), who are from the middle and upper classes, live on the edges of the law and are primarily motivated by greed and revenge.
Culture Clash: The characters in the “The Gentleman” constantly try to one-up and outsmart each other in their betrayals.
Culture Audience: “The Gentlemen” will appeal mostly to people who like movies about groups of criminals who mix dirty deals with aspirations to belong in the upper echelons of society.
Colin Farrell and Charlie Hunnam in “The Gentleman” (Photo by Christopher Raphael)
In case people might think British filmmaker Guy Ritchie was turning soft because he directed Disney’s 2019 live-action remake of “Aladdin,” he wants to remind everyone that he’s still capable of making the down’n’dirty British crime capers that made him a hot director, starting with his feature-film debut, 1998’s “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.” (And then his ill-fated 10-year marriage to Madonna brought him another kind of fame: tabloid hell.)
With “The Gentlemen,” Ritchie returns to the theme that he seems to like best when he writes and directs a film—men behaving very badly. And who needs to have legal consequences? Ritchie makes it clear in his movies about drug dealers or gangsters that the harsh realities of police busts and courtroom appearances are pesky distractions that shouldn’t really get in the way of the story he really wants to tell, which is from the lawbreakers’ perspectives.
The movie’s title is quite cheeky, since the shady and sleazy characters in “The Gentlemen” act like anything but gentlemen. All of them are violent, and some of the Anglo characters spout racist and anti-Semitic remarks. There’s some content in this movie that’s truly twisted, including a bestiality scene that’s in the movie for laughs. The deviant act is not shown on screen, but what happened and who was involved are made very clear to viewers.
“The Gentlemen” has an all-star cast, but the movie really comes down to the sparring between two of the characters who want to be the alpha male who’ll outsmart them all. The two opponents are Michael “Mickey” Pearson (played by Matthew McConaughey) and Fletcher (played by Hugh Grant), who see themselves as brilliant manipulators who like to play people off each other like pawns in a chess game.
Mickey is an American who’s been a marijuana dealer in the United Kingdom, ever since he was a Rhodes Scholar student at Oxford University. He’s built up his business by renting out large estates worth millions and using the land to build underground areas for growing marijuana. His operation (which spans the entire nation) has grown to the point where he’s ready to sell it, now that marijuana might become legal in the United Kingdom.
Fletcher is a private investigator and aspiring screenwriter, who wants to tell Mickey’s story (and dirty secrets) in a movie screenplay that he’s writing. Fletcher describes the screenplay in vivid detail (which viewers see acted on screen) when he has a tense confrontation with Mickey’s right-hand man, Ray (played by Charlie Hunnam). It’s a story-within-a-story conceit that works well in some areas of the movie, but gets too convoluted and messy in other areas. Fletcher tells Ray that the salacious details of the screenplay is Fletcher’s way of extorting £20 million from Mickey if he wants to keep Fletcher from spilling those secrets. Fletcher has found himself in Mickey’s orbit in the first place because Fletcher has been hired by a tabloid editor named Big Dave (payed by Eddie Marsan), who has a grudge against Mickey and wants Fletcher to dig up dirt on Mickey.
Viewers should know before seeing this movie that the hyper-absurd situations in the story basically serve to poke fun at the characters, who mostly think they’re smarter than everyone else in their world. And make no mistake: This is definitely a man’s world, since Michelle Dockery (who plays Mickey’s Cockney-accented loyal wife, Rosalind, nicknamed Roz) is the only woman with a significant speaking role in the movie—and her screen time in the film is less than 20 minutes. Fletcher describes Roz as the “Cockney Cleopatra to Mickey’s Cowboy Caesar.” It’s a fairly accurate description, since Roz’s scenes basically revolve around her sexuality, and Mickey’s scenes revolve around him asserting his power.
Mickey’s asking price for his marijuana operation is at least £400 million, and he finds a potential buyer in billionaire Matthew Berger (played by Jeremy Strong), another successful, upper-echelon drug dealer who’s been a longtime rival of Mickey’s. And there are some other sordid characters who are entangled in this spider web of a story. One of them is Dry Eye (played by Henry Golding), a gangster/wannabe mob boss who answers to his real mob boss, Lord George (played by Tom Wu). Their gang is also at odds with Mickey.
Then there’s deadpan henchman Coach (played by Colin Farrell), who’s somewhat of a mentor to a group of young thugs who like to video record their mischief-making and crimes while in disguise, take the footage, make them into rap videos, and post the videos on social media. The young hoodlums make the mistake of breaking into one of Mickey’s marijuana bunkers and stealing some of what’s stashed there, so Coach offers to make amends by doing favors for Mickey.
All of the stars of “The Gentlemen” do a very competent job with an often-verbose script, which requires a massive suspension of disbelief in the fight scenes—especially in an assault-weapon shootout aimed at a vehicle, where someone very unrealistically walks away unscathed. Grant’s Fletcher character has the best lines, and he’s the one who’s the least predictable. But many of the other characters (such as Ray, Dry Eye and Big Eddie) are very two-dimensional, and a few humorous one-liners don’t quite fill the voids in their personalities.
Put another way: Ritchie is no Martin Scorsese when it comes to gangster films. “The Gentlemen” tries to be a little too clever for its own good, but if you’re curious to see Ritchie’s take on a backstabbing criminal subculture, then “The Gentlemen” might be your stinging cup of tea.
STX will release “The Gentlemen” in U.S. cinemas on January 24, 2020. The movie was released in the United Kingdom on January 1, 2020.
CinemaCon, the annual convention for the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), will be held April 1 to April 4, 2019, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. About 5,000 people attend the event, which gives movie studios the chance to showcase what they expect to be their biggest hits of the year.
A major change to this year’s event is that Sony Pictures Entertainment and 20th Century Fox will not be giving presentations. Movie studios scheduled to give their presentations at the event are STX Films and Warner Bros. Pictures on April 2; Universal Pictures and Walt Disney Pictures on April 3; and Paramount Pictures and Lionsgate on April 4.
Independent film studio Neon will promote its music-based drama “Wild Rose” with a screening of the movie on April 1 and a “Wild Rose” party on April 2. Other movies that will be screened in their entirety at CinemaCon 2019 will be Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Blinded by the Light” on April 2, Amazon’s “Late Night” on April 3 and Lionsgate’s “Long Shot” on April 4.
CinemaCon culminates with the CinemaCon Big Screen Achievement Awards ceremony, which will take place April 4.
Here are the announced winners of the awards:
CinemaCon Icon Award Steve Buscemi
Steve Buscemi (Photo by Kristina Bumphrey/Starpix)
One of the most respected actors in the entertainment industry, Emmy-winning “Boardwalk Empire” star Steve Buscemi has played a wide range of characters in movies and television. His most memorable films include 1992’s “Reservoir Dogs,” 1996’s “Fargo” and 2001’s “Ghost World.” He has also voiced several roles in hit animated movies such as 2017’s “The Boss Baby,” and the “Hotel Transylvania” films. Buscemi’s 2019 film is the horror comedy, co-starring Adam Driver, Chloë Sevigny, Bill Murray and Tilda Swinton.
CinemaCon Vanguard Award Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis (Photo by Andrew Eccles/Universal Pictures)
In a career spanning more than 40 years, Jamie Lee Curtis has made her mark in the film industry, beginning with her starring role in her movie debut: the 1978 horror classic “Halloween.” She has starred in multiple “Halloween” sequels, most notably 2018’s “Halloween,” which made her the first woman over the age of 60 to star in a movie that debuted at No. 1 in the United States. Curtis’ other well-known movies include the 1980 horror flick “Prom Night,” the 1988 comedy “A Fish Called Wanda,” the 1994 action film “True Lies” and the 2003 remake of the comedy “Freaky Friday.” Curtis has two films due out in 2019: the crime drama “Knives Out” and the comedy “Senior Entourage.”
CinemaCon International Star of the Year Kevin Hart
Kevin Hart (Photo by David Lee)
Kevin Hart is one of the busiest people in showbiz, with starring roles in movies, TV and Web series, in addition to headlining successful arena tours. The year 2019 started out with the dramedy “The Upside” (starring Hart and Bryan Cranston) debuting at No. 1 in the United States. His 2018 comedy film “Night School” was also a hit.
CinemaCon Ensemble Award: The Cast of “Terminator: Dark Fate” – Linda Hamilton, Natalia Reyes, Mackenzie Davis and Gabriel Luna
Natalie Reyes, Mackenzie Davis and Linda Hamilton of “Terminator: Dark Fate” (Photo by Kerry Brown)
“Terminator: Dark Fate” is the 2019 entry in the longtime “Terminator” film series. “Terminator: Dark Fate” stands out from the rest of the films in the series because the cast is led by women: Linda Hamilton (who starred in the first two “Terminator” movies), Natalie Reyes and Mackenzie Davis. The movie’s cast also includes Gabriel Luna. Original “Terminator” star Arnold Schwarzenegger is reportedly making a cameo appearance.
CinemaCon Directors of the Year Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
Joe Russo and Anthony Russo (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Director brothers Joe Russo and Anthony Russo helmed the superhero movie “Avengers: Endgame,” which is expected to be the biggest box-office blockbuster of 2019. The Russo brothers also directed several other Marvel movie blockbusters, including 2018’s “Avengers: Infinity War,” 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War” and 2014’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”
CinemaCon Action Star of the Year David Harbour
David Harbour (Photo by Marion Curtis/ StarPix for Summit Entertainment)
David Harbour might be best-known as a co-star of Netflix’s horror series “Stranger Things,” but he’s aiming to make a big splash in movies by starring as the title character in the 2019 superhero flick “Hellboy.” Harbour takes over the role that was originated by Ron Perlman.
Cinema Spotlight Award Octavia Spencer
Octavia Spencer (Photo by Todd Williamson/Getty Images for Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Octavia Spencer won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her breakthrough role in 2011’s “The Help.” She has also has Oscar nominations for her supporting roles in 2016’s “Hidden Figures” and 2017’s “The Shape of Water.” Spencer has branched out into producing films, including the 2019 horror flick “Ma,” where she has a starring role.
CinemaCon Male Star of Tomorrow Henry Golding
Henry Golding (Photo by Kelsey McNeal/ABC)
Henry Golding made his feature-film debut with a starring role in the 2018 blockbuster romantic comedy “Crazy Rich Asians.” He was also in the 2018 crime thriller “A Simple Favor,” co-starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively. Golding has re-teamed with “A Simple Favor” director Paul Feig for the 2019 romantic comedy “Last Christmas,” co-starring Emilia Clarke, Emma Thompson (who wrote the movie’s screenplay) and “Crazy Rich Asians” co-star Michelle Yeoh.
CinemaCon Female Stars of Tomorrow Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever
Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever (Photo by Francois Duhamel)
Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever co-star in the 2019 comedy “Booksmart,” about two straight-laced best friends who decide to go wild on the day before their high-school graduation. Feldstein is also known for her supporting roles in the 2018 Oscar-nominated comedy film “Lady Bird” and the 2016 comedy film “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising,” while Dever is a co-star of the comedy series “Last Man Standing.” Dever’s other recent film roles include the 2018 dramas “Beautiful Boy” and “The Front Runner.”
CinemaCon Breakthrough Director of the Year Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images)
Olivia Wilde made her directorial feature-film debut with the 2019 comedy film “Booksmart,” which got rave reviews when it had its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival. Wilde is an accomplished actress who has starred in such films as 2018’s “Life Itself” and 2010’s “Tron: Legacy.” She is also known for her past TV roles in the medical drama “House” and the nighttime soap opera “The O.C.”
CinemaCon Comedy Stars of the Year Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron
Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron (Photo by Philippe Bossé)
Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron play unlikely love interests in the 2019 political comedy film “Long Shot.” Rogen is best known for his comedic roles in movies (such as 2007’s “Knocked Up,” 2008’s “Pineapple Express” and the “Neighbors” films), while Theron does mostly dramatic and action movies, including 2005’s “Monster” (for which she won an Oscar for Best Actress), 2015’s “Mad Max: Fury Road” and 2017’s “Atomic Blonde.”
Other awards that will be given at the ceremony:
CinemaCon International Filmmaker of the Year Award: Graham King, producer of 2018’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”
CinemaCon Passpartout Award: Helen Moss, Paramount Pictures senior vice president of international distribution
NATO Marquee Award: John D. Loeks, Studio C chairman
Career Achievement in Exhibition Award: Jérôme Seydoux, Pathé co-chairman/CEO and Les Cinémas Gaumont Pathé chairman/CEO
Lifetime Achievement Award: Anthony Bloom, Cineworld Group chairman