In the increasingly wild world of action-comedy hybrids, Heads of State comes barrelling in like a stunt car on fire—with two unlikely passengers at the wheel: the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Yes, you read that right. This isn’t a political thriller or a highbrow satire. It’s a buddy-action movie starring John Cena as a movie star-turned-president and Idris Elba as a battle-hardened but emotionally crusty PM, forced into a reluctant team-up after a mid-air disaster flings them into global chaos. Cue explosions, banter, and international chase scenes.
Presidential Swagger Meets British Sass
Let’s start with the premise: Air Force One gets blown out of the sky. On board? President Will Derringer (Cena), a man whose closest brush with military action is pretending to be a commando in a fictional movie franchise called Water Cobra, and Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Elba), an ex-SAS officer who, ironically, never saw actual combat. The two men, polar opposites in nearly every way, are now fugitives in hostile foreign territory, dodging bullets and bad guys while trying not to strangle each other.
Derringer isn’t your average fictional president. He’s a celebrity-turned-commander-in-chief, elected not because of experience or vision but because Americans couldn’t resist the idea of a musclebound action hero in the Oval Office. Sound familiar? That’s the film’s most biting satirical jab, and it doesn’t pull punches. Will is like a massive golden retriever—lovable, loyal, and occasionally a total disaster. Meanwhile, Sam Clarke is a more refined kind of wreck—a grumpy pragmatist with zero tolerance for political theater and even less for buffoonery. Their dynamic? Imagine Grumpy Old Men, except these grumps could bench-press a Volvo.
Directing With a Wink
The director behind this chaotic spectacle is Ilya Naishuller, best known for Hardcore Henry and Nobody, two films that redefined what “absurd but awesome” could look like. He brings his signature flair to Heads of State, blending bone-crunching action with gleeful absurdity. Naishuller seems to be taking notes from the school of Guy Ritchie and Edgar Wright—directors who make action feel like a dance and comedy feel like a punchline. His camera doesn’t just follow the chaos—it celebrates it. During a wild chase, he even pauses to let us observe nuns crossing themselves mid-carnage. In another world, Roger Moore would’ve quipped something cheeky to the camera.
There are genuine moments of tension and some attempts at emotional depth, but make no mistake—this movie is mostly about the fun. Guns, grenades, flying elbows, tomato fights (we’ll get to that)—it’s a buffet of over-the-top set pieces. But rather than drowning in its own ridiculousness, the film wears it like a badge of honor.
Enter the Secret Weapon: Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Adding to the chaos is Priyanka Chopra Jonas as intelligence operative Noel Bissett. She’s introduced during an opening mission gone wrong—at the world’s largest tomato fight, no less. The setting is La Tomatina, where thousands hurl tomatoes at each other in the streets of Spain. It’s a perfect metaphor for the movie: messy, colorful, chaotic, and surprisingly fun. During this sequence, Noel seemingly meets a tragic end, but anyone who’s seen a blockbuster before knows she’ll be back. And sure enough, she reappears to join the mayhem.
Her character isn’t just a sidekick. She’s the emotional link between Will and Sam—turns out she and Sam had a romantic past, and maybe, just maybe, those embers haven’t completely cooled. Chopra Jonas brings just enough warmth and sly energy to balance out the testosterone-fueled back-and-forth between the two leads.
A Villain With Depth (Sort Of)
No action film is complete without a villain with a convoluted plan, and Paddy Considine delivers as the film’s main antagonist. His character—a Russian super-criminal—wants to take down NATO by hacking and exposing the dirty laundry of global leaders. It’s digital terrorism meets personal vengeance, as his motivations are also tied to the loss of his son in a bombing campaign greenlit by the very leaders he’s now targeting.
Considine infuses the role with more gravity than the script probably deserves. He brings a fire-eyed intensity that makes you believe he truly thinks he’s the hero of his own story. It’s unfortunate that the script doesn’t give him more layers to work with, but his performance helps ground the sillier parts of the movie with some actual menace.
Supporting Chaos and Comic Relief
Every wild ride needs some memorable pit stops, and Heads of State has a few. Stephen Root shows up as a haunted hacker who clearly has skeletons in his digital closet. He plays it like a man who’s seen too much, done too much, and is just trying to forget it all with some whiskey and screen time. Jack Quaid also makes a memorable appearance as a safe house manager who turns out to be a weapons nut just waiting for the chance to join the fray. These characters don’t have much screen time, but they make it count.
The film’s comedy doesn’t just come from dialogue—it’s baked into the set pieces. A gunfight in a tomato-covered alley. A boat chase through narrow Venetian canals. A brawl in a Parisian art gallery where priceless sculptures become makeshift weapons. The absurdity is constant, but Naishuller never lets it feel stale. He keeps things moving, literally and metaphorically.
Script Jitters and Tone Whiplash
Written by Josh Applebaum, André Nemec, and Harrison Query, the script sometimes struggles with its identity. It flip-flops between emotional introspection, goofy banter, and serious commentary without always sticking the landing. Some transitions feel abrupt—one minute you’re watching a heartfelt confession, the next someone’s getting bludgeoned with a frying pan. It doesn’t kill the vibe, but it does leave you wondering what kind of movie Heads of State wants to be.
There are also fleeting moments where the film brushes up against heavier themes. Civilian casualties in war. The cost of political ambition. The dangers of populism. But these ideas are never explored deeply—they’re more like speed bumps on the way to the next explosion. The movie raises serious questions, then zooms off like a distracted teenager behind the wheel of a stolen tank.
The Chemistry That Saves the Day
What holds the whole thing together is the chemistry between Cena and Elba. They’re clearly having a blast, and that energy is contagious. Cena, always great at playing the earnest doofus with surprising emotional depth, leans into his character’s insecurity and performative patriotism. Elba, by contrast, brings a cool weariness that makes him the perfect foil. Together, they bicker, bond, and bulldoze their way through the plot like a mismatched action figure set come to life.
Their dynamic grows more endearing as the movie progresses. Will learns to think before he punches. Sam learns to loosen up a little. By the time the credits roll, you might not buy them as best friends—but you believe they respect each other. And in the world of action-comedies, that’s pretty much a marriage.
So… What’s It All About?
Is Heads of State a political satire? An action movie? A bromantic comedy? Yes, yes, and sort of. It’s the kind of film that doesn’t need to make perfect sense as long as it keeps entertaining you. It plays like Central Intelligence with a sprinkle of The Hitman’s Bodyguard and a dash of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. It lives for the gags, the chases, the quick one-liners, and the increasingly elaborate fight choreography.
It may not reinvent the genre, but it doesn’t have to. It’s here to deliver good, dumb fun—executed with more craft and care than you might expect from a movie where world leaders crash-land in enemy territory and start stabbing mercenaries with chair legs.
Could There Be a Sequel?
Well, sequels are rarely decided by story logic anymore. If Heads of State performs well, you can bet your last tomato that the studio will find a reason to bring these two world leaders back for another globetrotting escapade. Maybe they’ll take on space terrorists. Maybe they’ll go underwater. Maybe they’ll get stuck in Antarctica with only a sled and an ice pick. Whatever it is, there are no term limits in Hollywood.
Verdict:
Heads of State is a rowdy, ridiculous, and often hilarious ride that knows exactly what it wants to be: escapist entertainment. If you’re in the mood for global espionage with heart, humor, and a few hundred gallons of fake blood and tomato sauce, then grab your popcorn. This one’s got your vote.
