‘Heads Of State' Review: A Good Old-Fashioned Buddy Movie Riddled With Cliches, Predictability And Loads Of Fun

Geek Vibes Nation

16 hours ago

'He doesn't know the difference between a press conference and a press junket' wasn't only the best line heard in a room full of critics, but it also sums up perfectly the two central characters in the hilarious buddy movie Heads of State . On the one hand, you have the almost Schwarzenegger knock-off Will Derringer (John Cena), who gained his seat at the Oval Office by starring in B-flicks and taking selfies with the fans. In contrast, you have the stern, serious, and military-trained Prime Minister Sam Clark (Idris Elba). While the difference in political views certainly ensures fireworks on the most critical stage in front of the entire world, it is also highly entertaining on the big screen.
Director Ilya Naishuller ( Nobody ) certainly fills this movie with tons of testosterone, machismo and chest-puffing men. Still, it's the women who make the most significant impact at first, especially Priyanka Chopra Jonas ( Citadel ). Her Noel Bisset delivers an enthralling blood-soaked opening scene in the middle of the world-famous Tomatina festival, during which a covert operation on weapons dealer Viktor Gradov (an underused Paddy Considine) goes completely south. Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Noel Bisset in 'Heads of State' courtesy of Prime Video
While the script doesn't do Jonas' character any justice, whenever she appears on screen, she shows that it's girls who run the world, as Beyoncé would say. Her slick fighting skills, pitch-perfect timing, and even slightly touching performance carry this film over the finish line, even when this feature starts to test the boundaries of his credibility during the final act. The Looney Tunes-like car chase certainly pushes the limits of the human body and mind, as well as the audience's acceptance of clichés and 'been there, done that' moments.
It's a shame that both Jonas and Considine don't receive a lot of screen time, as there's much more to their characters and performances than we currently get to see. It's clear that Naishuller wants to make Elba ( Three Thousand Years of Longing ) and Cena ( Peacemaker ) shine, and both actors grab that chance with both hands and go running with it. The first encounters between Will and Sam might be extremely awkward, as they're mainly filled with two men bickering about who has the best political approach, who's the most experienced, and fish and chips (which slowly becomes a joke that's used too much for its own good). However, once their latest PR stunt, involving Sam boarding Air Force One, ends dramatically when the plane is shot down with the two being the only survivors, that's when this movie speeds up, and the performances become more electric.
The special effects might be (very) questionable at times, but we can't say the same about the acting (luckily). Both Cena and Elba inject a lot of humour, charisma and presence into this done-by-the-number screenplay. Each in their own way, though. Sam might seem calm, cool, and even smug, based on what the script suggests, but Elba adds more warmth, humanness, and personality to his character. Sam has little patience for wanna-be's, and every time Will shows a hint of the Hollywood celebrity status he's gained over the years, the two politicians go head-to-head. It's during those moments that we also see that Cena, despite either standing in the wrestling ring or starring in a 'turn-off-your-brains' movie with less substance than this one, can find the sweet spot between a kick-ass performance and emotional acting. Idris Elba as Sam Clark and John Cena as Will Derringer in 'Heads of State' courtesy of Prime Video
It's that mix of fighting moves and people skills that hopefully will ensure the leads make it in time for the NATO summit. After being presumed dead, their political allies have taken prominent political positions, but as we all know, sometimes people aren't who they say they are. It's up to the two former powerhouses to save the world, but that's not going to be easy. They not only have to set aside the differences and animosity they might have against each other, but they also have to work together to overcome many explosions, car chases, and bullet rains at the hands of Gradov. The life-threatening journey results in top-notch entertainment and way too many slow-motion action scenes. While this movie sometimes takes it just a little bit too far, the set pieces and the delightful action scenes do deliver the goods for the majority of the runtime.
The best example, without a doubt, is the shootout at the Polish safehouse. Not only because of the clever use of the weapons, comedy and the leads, but also because of the scene-stealing Jack Quaid. To the tunes of Sabotage by the Beastie Boys (kudos to the team for the obvious but still effective soundtrack choices), his junior agent Marty Comer causes more mayhem in those few scenes than his Nathan 'Novocaine' Caine did in the entirety of Novocaine .
There's no two ways about it. The script of Heads of State comes straight out of an action movie playbook, and the film doesn't take itself too seriously. However, that still doesn't warrant why this feature doesn't at least get a limited release in cinemas, as Naishuller delivers what he promises. Perhaps Prime Video aims to utilise Cena and Elba as the main attraction to attract more subscribers, or it's due to the intense competition on the big screen. We'll never know. However, what we do know is that Heads of State is a good old-fashioned buddy movie that delivers cliches, predictability, but also loads of fun.
Heads of State is out now on Prime Video