Torn between action and comedy, irony and sentiment, and rah-rah jingoism and genuine self-reflection, “Heads of State” is a surprisingly entertaining romp. From a distance, the star-studded Prime Video romp feels like a fake movie-within-a-movie — which is ironic, given how many of these it features in it running time — but the stylings of “Hardcore Henry” and “Nobody” director Ilya Naishuller help rescue it from the algorithmic abyss of films like “Red Notice,” which feel more like star-driven pyramid schemes than works of popcorn cinema.
Written by Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, and Harrison Query (from a story by the latter), it follows the rocky special relationship between charismatic Hollywood action star-turned U.S. President Will Derringer (John Cena) and embittered U.K. Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) amid a plot to kill them aboard Air Force One and destabilize NATO in the aftermath. Oh, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas is there too, somewhat, as MI6 agent Noel Bisset, who disappears for much of the running time, but re-emerges in spectacular fashion.
It would be tough for a film so entrenched in politics to avoid political entanglements in service of mindless action. However, it’s hard not to wonder if it should have at least tried to take that route, given how frequently it trips over itself while attempting vague, sermonizing points about international cooperation. At the core of “Heads of State,” whose POTUS is a literal movie star, lies the idea that turn-your-brain-off entertainment is a more desirable solution to daily woes than paying attention to diplomacy, despite the PM’s best efforts. Elba’s gruff, straight-to-the-point former soldier is presented as the more realistic alternative to Cena’s inexperienced, nice-guy celebrity politician — the Trumpian quality of his ascent notwithstanding. But at the end of the day, in Naishuller’s cinematic reality, gun fights and explosions are mightier than the pen, and stunts supersede the screenplay.
It plays, at times, like two very different movies in direct conflict. The opening prologue, which sees Bisset fumble a joint CIA-MI6 mission to capture Russian arms dealer Viktor Gradov (Paddy Considine) before he can steal a spy satellite, swerves between banal, barely-functional character comedy, and fluid action with sparks of mischief. This sets the stage for what’s to come, since anytime “The Suicide Squad” co-stars Elba and Cena share the screen, the movie strains to find its comedic rhythms, until it shifts back into its video game-inspired action mode.
Cena, despite his attempts at wackadoo eccentricity, seldom has enough energy to create meaningful contrast with Elba’s straight man (in fact, Elba is often the funnier and sharper of the two), and most dialogue scenes end up flat and repetitive. However, the moment any action whatsoever unfolds, “Heads of State” explodes in raucous fashion. It has an inverse-Marvel problem, wherein more straightforward scenes feel pre-designed by committee, but the fireworks come courtesy of someone with a genuine cinematic eye, resulting in inventive, Rube Goldberg-ian action sequences that recall the slick setups and payoffs of films by Jackie Chan (only these are set during speeding highway pursuits and along deadly staircases).
In fact, these set pieces are where the movie’s comedy finally blooms. Chopra Jonas (and her stunt double, upon whose face hers has been jankily grafted) imbue Bisset with a hardened physical presence, as she lunges at henchmen with furious punches and kicks. Derringer, who’s only used to prop guns, becomes an amusing walking metaphor for impotence disguised by nationalistic fervor. And Clarke, although hilariously rusty at first given his time away from battle, eventually settles into the role of a comedic Punisher of sorts.
Apart from Gradov — who’s given the movie’s only real hint of pathos — the actual character dynamics are flimsy. Bisset and Clarke have disposable personal history that takes up far too much breathing room, and several supporting players are too underdeveloped to fulfil their intended plot functions of either personal sacrifice or red herring. However, when it comes time for action spectacle, “Heads of State” is gleefully deranged (thanks in large part to Ben Davis’s cartoonishly zippy wide-angle photography). Take, for instance, Jack Quaid, who has only a single scene as Hawaiian shirt-wearing CIA station chief Marty Comer, but who makes a monumental impact by speedrunning through a safehouse shootout while surveilling Gradov’s rogue forces with the help of an enormous CRT monitor cradled in his arms.
Of course, as with any Hollywood film of its ilk, “Heads of State” has a bizarre and blinkered view of the world, through a distinctly American lens. There are unsavory things that Western nations do which draw the ire of their enemies in the film — some of these have unfortunate relevance in light of recent events — but these ugly truths are often brushed aside as soon as they’re brought up, in favor of the equally ugly (but no less truthful) notion that kick-ass Hollywood action is more alluring to the average person than a statement on geopolitics. At a time when the United States is flexing its might both at home and abroad, “Heads of State” is met with the Herculean challenge of distracting audiences, while constantly gesturing towards the very same material realities that might need escaping to begin with.
In 2025, not everyone is going to be able to switch off the part of their brain or conscience that keeps them glued to the news, especially since the film is being sent straight to streaming, where viewers are more likely to watch it while scrolling the web. And while this poses the question of who the movie is actually for — you might think it’s a conservative, isolationist, “America First” fantasy, but it goes to great lengths to refute this— the mixed messaging of its idealistic, kumbaya dialogue and its vicious, ultra-patriotic action imagery is part of its sardonic charm. When it works, “Heads of State” is a hoot.
Grade: B
“Heads of State” will be available to stream on Prime Video starting Wednesday, July 2.
Want to stay up to date on IndieWire’s film reviews and critical thoughts? Subscribe here to our newly launched newsletter, In Review by David Ehrlich, in which our Chief Film Critic and Head Reviews Editor rounds up the best new reviews and streaming picks along with some exclusive musings — all only available to subscribers.