Heads of State, John Cena and Idris Elba Lead Prime Video Action Movie

 

Info in Movie News | John Cena and Idris Elba join forces in Heads of State, an energetic action comedy that is a seamless fusion of political satire and high-octane stunts. The movie is now streaming on Prime Video, where Cena and Elba play the President of the United States and the British Prime Minister, respectively, and are inadvertently involved in a lethal game of diplomacy, betrayal, and gun battles through Europe.

According to The New York Times, the movie is directed by Ilya Naishuller, a Russian moviemaker who did Hardcore Henry and Nobody. Known for his kinetic style and over-the-top action, Naishuller returns with his signature mayhem to this tale of two world leaders who are not particularly fond of each other but have to work together if they want to survive the series of assassination attempts that have been planned. The movie is just packed with witty political gags, crazy scenarios and lots of explosions to please any action lover.

John Cena is President Will Derringer, an ex-action movie star who accidentally got the Oval Office. He is still adapting to the role of Commander-in-Chief and is holding a grudge against Elba’s character, Prime Minister Sam Clarke, for a supposedly unfaithful act during the U.S. election campaign. But when they’re both stranded overseas amid a NATO summit and targeted by mysterious attackers, personal grievances have to take a backseat to survival.

What makes Heads of State work is that neither lead plays their role for laughs. Cena and Elba have a comedy work that is entirely based on the main characters to convey their characters. Cena’s expressionless bafflement, particularly at moments when situations become uncontrollable, is a continuous joke to him. Elba, on the other hand, stars as the serious one/who is more stoic of the two and their relationship as twisted leaders becomes even more entertaining during the discussion of their two chemistries.

Joining them is Priyanka Chopra Jonas as a highly skilled secret agent who aids their escape mission. Jonas Chopra has starred in plenty of action-packed movies on the Amazon series Citadel, which was initially going to be a massive international franchise. However, the show was a disaster in production and received mixed reviews, but still, it has proven that Chopra is a bankable action star, and Heads of State gives her more of a lighter and comedic opportunity to do some stunts without sacrificing the action scenes.

The movie leans into the territory of other works of art in a light-hearted manner. It begins at the La Tomatina festival that has been widely talked about and shown, which is also referenced in the movie We Need to Talk About Kevin. It also includes a fast-paced action scene played to the beat of a Beastie Boys song, similar to that in KIMI. Stephen Root, a seasoned character actor, appears as a mere underling, treated no different than his role in Office Space. Such references, although not very obvious, definitely make the movie interesting for those who are familiar with the underlying jokes and have a popcorn-loving personality.

The movie Heads of State is 1 hour and 55 minutes long and definitely not a work that would change the action comedy genre. It’s loud, ridiculous, and full of explosions, but that’s exactly it. The movie fully comprehends its nature and actively participates in the mayhem.

Now streaming on Prime Video, Heads of State may not be a critical darling, but it’s a fun ride, especially for fans of political spoof, mismatched duos, and adrenaline-fueled set pieces.

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