Latest news with #IlyaNaishuller
New York Times
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘Heads of State' Review: John Cena and Idris Elba Are Assassins' Targets
As the U.S. President (and former movie star) Will Derringer prepares to meet the British prime minister, Sam Clarke, he has something of a chip on his shoulder. Journalists and aides figure he's holding a grudge; during his presidential campaign, Clarke took Derringer's opponent out for fish and chips. Then, the two are thrown together in the run-up to a NATO summit; their determination to patch up their relationship, which isn't terribly strong to begin with, is eventually enhanced when they're forced to fend off varied explosive assassination attempts. Directed by Ilya Naishuller, who also made the absurdist action pictures 'Hardcore Henry' and 'Nobody,' 'Heads of State' plays like a season of the BBC political satire series 'The Thick of It.' (If the show had been crafted to satisfy the Second City Television characters Big Jim McBob and Billy Sol Hurok, whose approval of movies was contingent on things 'blowing up real good.') John Cena, the U.S. president, and Idris Elba, the British leader, craft their performances cannily — their characters don't know they're in a comedy, which makes things funnier. The way Cena's face turns blank when his character doesn't know what to do next (which is often) is particularly effective. The movie contains some intriguing, presumably deliberate nods to auteurist cinema. Like Lynne Ramsay's 'We Need to Talk About Kevin' (2011), it opens at the messy Tomatina (tomato festival) in Buñol, Spain, where a shooting aimed at a secret agent played by Priyanka Chopra Jonas is easily mistaken for an edible splat. As in Steven Soderbergh's 'KIMI,' a popular Beastie Boys tune is blared on a sound system during an action scene. And just like in Mike Judge's 'Office Space,' Stephen Root plays a functionary who is routinely humiliated by his boss. It's loud albeit harmless japery, best appreciated with your air-conditioning cranked to movie theater levels. Heads of StateRated PG-13 for language and comedic violence. Running time: 1 hour 55 minutes. Watch on Prime Video.
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
World leaders, wild ride: Priyanka Chopra joins John Cena and Idris Elba in buddy-action romp ‘Heads of State'
LONDON, July 2 — Actors John Cena and Idris Elba embark on a wild friendship journey in the comedy action adventure Heads of State. Cena plays Hollywood action hero turned US President Will Derringer, while Elba stars as the experienced and cranky British Prime Minister Sam Clarke, an army veteran. When a tense meeting between the two disparate leaders is followed by an attack that threatens to blow up the world order, they must come together to save the day. Cena and Elba, who also executive produced the movie, previously worked together on the 2021 superhero film The Suicide Squad. 'Honestly, our time on screen is effortless. He brings the best out of me and, in his words, I try to do my best to provide an environment where he can shine,' Cena said at the movie's London premiere on yesterday. 'I love the friendship nature of this film,' he added. The movie is directed by Russian filmmaker and musician Ilya Naishuller, who said Cena and Elba brought a realness to their roles. 'They feed off each other as any good couple would, and they know how to argue together in such a way where this is the perfect combination of the American happy-go-lucky, optimistic president and the prime minister who is real about the job and how difficult it is,' Naishuller said, adding he set out to make a summer blockbuster in the vein of the buddy action comedies of the 1980s and 90s. 'The goal was, I want to do an hour and 45 of the highest quality entertainment I can do and just do a crowd-pleaser and make sure that the people sitting at home on July the 4th are going to be united and having a great time,' he said. Heads of State also stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas in the role of the pun-loving top MI6 agent Noel Bisset. 'It was really different, because it was a comedy. Most of the action I've done has been in drama and thrillers,' Chopra Jonas said. 'I love my puns,' she added. 'I mean, listen, I love a good pun. You've got to be smart to be punny.' Heads of State starts streaming on Prime Video on July 2. — Reuters
Reuters
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Reuters
John Cena and Idris Elba team up for buddy movie 'Heads of State'
LONDON, July 1 (Reuters) - Actors John Cena and Idris Elba embark on a wild friendship journey in the comedy action adventure "Heads of State." Cena plays Hollywood action hero turned U.S. President Will Derringer, while Elba stars as the experienced and cranky British Prime Minister Sam Clarke, an army veteran. When a tense meeting between the two disparate leaders is followed by an attack that threatens to blow up the world order, they must come together to save the day. Cena and Elba, who also executive produced the movie, previously worked together on the 2021 superhero film "The Suicide Squad." "Honestly, our time on screen is effortless. He brings the best out of me and, in his words, I try to do my best to provide an environment where he can shine," Cena said at the movie's London premiere on Tuesday. "I love the friendship nature of this film," he added. The movie is directed by Russian filmmaker and musician Ilya Naishuller, who said Cena and Elba brought a realness to their roles. "They feed off each other as any good couple would, and they know how to argue together in such a way where this is the perfect combination of the American happy-go-lucky, optimistic president and the prime minister who is real about the job and how difficult it is," Naishuller said, adding he set out to make a summer blockbuster in the vein of the buddy action comedies of the 1980s and 90s. "The goal was, I want to do an hour and 45 of the highest quality entertainment I can do and just do a crowd-pleaser and make sure that the people sitting at home on July the 4th are going to be united and having a great time," he said. "Heads of State" also stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas in the role of the pun-loving top MI6 agent Noel Bisset. "It was really different, because it was a comedy. Most of the action I've done has been in drama and thrillers," Chopra Jonas said. "I love my puns," she added. "I mean, listen, I love a good pun. You've got to be smart to be punny." "Heads of State" starts streaming on Prime Video on July 2.
International Business Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- International Business Times
Heads of State Review Roundup: What Critics Are Saying About Upcoming Action Comedy Film
Ahead of its premiere on Wednesday (July 2), the initial reviews of the film from the critics are coming in. The American action comedy film, directed by Ilya Naishuller, stars John Cena and Idris Elba as Will Derringer, the President of the United States, and Sam Clarke, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. It follows the two world leaders after they decide to keep aside their rivalry to take precautions against a global conspiracy. They plan to work together after becoming targets of a ruthless foreign adversary. The movie has not received a favourable response from the critics. As of Tuesday (July 1), the film had a score of 60 percent from 15 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, and clocked in at 53 percent on Metacritic from six reviews. The movie, from Amazon MGM Studio, is all set to premiere on Prime Video on Wednesday (July 2). It also stars Priyanka Chopra, Jack Quaid, Paddy Considine, Stephen Root, and Carla Gugino. Here are the key excerpts from a few prominent critics following the pre release last week: The Hollywood Reporter's film and television critic Caryn James wrote in her review, "An alternate history with different world leaders would be great escapism at the moment. Heads of State isn't that, despite a here-and-there subtext that turns out to be more pointedly political than you see coming. The film, from Nobody director Ilya Naishuller, is a typical action-comedy that benefits greatly from its two stars, and slightly from their unexpected characters, before plunging fast into explosive but trite set-pieces. You've never before seen John Cena as the American president and Idris Elba as the British prime minister, but by the end you may feel as if you've seen it all before". Deadline's Chief Film Critic Pete Hammond wrote, "Heads of State is solely interested in burning the whole thing down, doing its stars no service, and letting the explosions and gunplay take center stage in a movie where action-to-the-max is our filmmaker's mantra. [It is] a movie full of explosions, chases, and stuntmen being paid overtime". Collider's film and television critic Nate Richard wrote in his review, "Make no mistake, Heads of State is not the kind of movie that will make your best-of-the-year list. But if you need a big, dumb action movie with two buff guys to kick back and down some beers while watching, you are in luck. Like the movies it was clearly inspired by, the "plot" of Heads of State is nonsensical. None of it is remotely realistic (but who cares in a movie like this), there are plot-holes galore, and the film wastes much of its supporting cast, such as Considine, Carla Gugino, Sarah Niles, and Stephen Root, in roles that don't give them anything remotely interesting to do. It's the very definition of a movie that requires the viewer to turn off their brain, which sometimes is to its detriment". Screen Rant's senior film critic Mae Abdulbaki wrote, "Directed by Ilya Naishuller from a screenplay by Josh Applebaum, André Nemec, and Harrison Query, Heads of State is the kind of movie that doesn't require much from its audience beyond shutting off our brains while simultaneously leaning into political stereotypes. It's not a particularly good movie, and, at nearly two hours long, the film overstays its welcome. Its saving grace is the decision to ground the film with an enemies-to-friends trope for its leading duo that mostly works in its favor". CinemaBlend's TV Editor Nick Venable wrote in his review, "With its surprisingly deft blend of high-stakes action and light-hearted comedy that bumps against the PG-13 rating, Heads of State is 100% the kind of guilt-free popcorn-chomping good time that Amazon MGM should be making, and is definitely worthy of a trip to the theater, as opposed to streaming at home. President John Cena's biceps deserve to be seen on the biggest screen possible... because America".
Forbes
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
John Cena And Idris Elba's ‘Heads Of State' New On Prime Video This Week
John Cena and Idris Elba in "Heads of State." Prime Video/Chiabella James Heads of State — a new action comedy starring John Cena and Idris Elba — premieres on Prime Video this week. When will the movie be available to stream? The official summary for Heads of State reads, 'UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Elba) and U.S. President Will Derringer (Cena) have a not-so-friendly and very public rivalry that jeopardizes their countries' 'special relationship.' But when they become the targets of a powerful and ruthless foreign adversary — who proves more than a match for the two leaders' security forces — they are begrudgingly forced to rely on the only two people they can trust: each other. Forbes 'From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina' New On Streaming This Week By Tim Lammers 'Ultimately allied with the brilliant MI6 agent Noel Bisset (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), they must go on the run and find a way to work together long enough to thwart a global conspiracy that threatens the entire free world. Directed by Ilya Naishuller, Heads of State also stars Paddy Considine, Stephen Root, Carla Gugino, Jack Quaid and Sarah Niles. A Prime Video Original movie , Heads of State premieres on the streaming service on Wednesday, July 2. Forbes Marvel's 'Thunderbolts*' Arrives On Streaming This Week By Tim Lammers Viewers can stream Heads of State one of two ways. Prime Video is part of an Amazon membership, which costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year. Additionally, Prime Video-only subscriptions are also available for $8.99 per month. Heads of State is a reunion film for John Cena and Idris Elba, who previously worked together on James Gunn's 2021 DC antihero action adventure The Suicide Squad. During a May interview with Entertainment Weekly , Elba said he enjoyed the spontaneity Cena brought to the set of Heads of State . Forbes Josh Duhamel Says Living Off The Grid Prepped Him For New Tech Thriller By Tim Lammers "John's very funny. He's a big improvisational guy, so there was lots of that,' Elba told EW . 'When we left Suicide Squad , we wanted to work together again and this was the perfect storm — we got to do a lot together, and it's an old school two-hander — he's playing a funny guy and I'm playing the straight man." Rated PG-13, Heads of State premieres on Prime Video on Wednesday. Forbes Obscure Mel Gibson Horror Movie New On Streaming This Week By Tim Lammers
