Prime Video is investing lots in motion films and collection that need to do with espionage, authorities companies, and within the case of G20 and Heads of State — the streaming platform’s newest starring John Cena as Will Derringer, the President of the US, and Idris Elba as Sam Clarke, the Prime Minister of the UK — turning presidents into motion heroes.
Directed by Ilya Naishuller from a screenplay by Josh Applebaum, André Nemec, and Harrison Question, Heads of State is the sort of film that doesn’t require a lot from its viewers past shutting off our brains whereas concurrently leaning into political stereotypes. It’s not a very good film, and, at almost two hours lengthy, the movie overstays its welcome. Its saving grace is the choice to floor the movie with an enemies-to-friends trope for its main duo that principally works in its favor.
Cena’s Will Derringer is new at being the President of the US. Earlier than he turned a politician, he was a beloved motion star. Will is the optimist who believes in a greater world and the significance of his position in making that occur. Elba’s Sam Clarke is the exact opposite; he’s a cynic who believes issues can change, however not by a lot, and hates the truth that Derringer was by no means a public servant earlier than changing into president. Sam is aware of what arduous work and battle actually appears to be like like; Will doesn’t.
Heads Of State’s Narrative Is Flat However Is Helped By A Couple Of Twists
The start of the movie has the identical spirit as that of Crimson, White & Royal Blue, the rom-com that noticed the president’s son falling for a British prince. Heads of State isn’t very fluffy, although, and it really offers with among the particulars of politics — particularly, NATO and surveillance expertise. When Sam and Will discover themselves being attacked by Viktor Gradov’s (Paddy Considine) employed weapons aboard Air Drive One, they’re pressured to go off-grid after being presumed lifeless, helped alongside the best way by Noel Bissett (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), an MI6 agent with a romantic historical past with Sam.
Gradov is basically a one-note antagonist, although Considine appears to be having enjoyable with the character, even when he doesn’t get all that a lot to do. Gradov is the straightforward antagonist the opposite characters can simply level a finger at and blame, however the twist of one thing extra occurring saves his arc from being a protracted eyeroll. The twists and turns as to who’s actually behind the surveillance hack additionally maintain the movie’s story from rising fully stale.
Amid drained tropes and mediocre motion, the movie has a number of shining moments…
On the very least, Heads of State put some effort into its narrative. Stripped down, it’s a story about revenge and the political machinations that may be employed to control one’s approach to extra energy and isolation. The movie virtually, however not fairly, delves into how espionage shapes different international locations, in addition to choices being made with out full intel, nevertheless it brushes all that underneath the rug in favor of a flat, black-and-white morality. Then once more, this can be a film the place two political leaders grow to be motion heroes who should save everybody. The expectation that it’d transcend that might solely result in disappointment.
John Cena & Idris Elba’s Bickering Characters Retains The Movie Afloat
It is a popcorn film that might — curiously sufficient — play higher in theaters, and I’m unsure that watching it on streaming would maintain one’s consideration for its unnecessarily prolonged runtime. Between all of the working round and the by no means catching a break, although, Sam and Will are there, snapping at one another, arguing about one of the simplest ways to do issues, and the “fish and chips” incident that Will feels embarrassed about and might’t drop. Attraction alone would possibly save this film.
The motion isn’t something to jot down house about. It’s serviceable, as is the comedy, which doesn’t at all times land. On the event it does, although, Heads of State did make me chuckle. A fast montage that includes what Chopra Jonas’ character has been as much as after a mission gone improper is equal elements weird and humorous, as is Noel’s use of well-timed puns. Amid drained tropes and mediocre motion, the movie has a number of shining moments, and that’s what retains it from rising more and more uninteresting.
Maybe if the tempo wasn’t so fast, we’d have had extra time to consider the lackluster plot, contrivances, and even among the annoying and flat dialogue, however the filmmakers and forged be certain we don’t. Cena and Elba are all-in with their characters. And whereas their chemistry might have been higher, their bickering, though grating at factors, principally works. And that’s actually the bread and butter of the movie. With out Cena and Elba’s dedicated and charming performances, in addition to nice supporting turns from Considine and Carla Gugino as Vice President Elizabeth Kirk, Heads of State wouldn’t be value discussing.
Heads of State
5/10
- Launch Date
-
July 2, 2025
- Director
-
Ilya Naishuller
- Writers
-
Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, Harrison Question
- Producers
-
Idris Elba, John Rickard, Marcus Viscidi, Peter Safran
- John Cena and Idris Elba are charming
- The enemies-to-friends component works
- The movie’s motion is mediocre
- Plot contrivances and flat narrative decisions go away lots to be desired