Heads of State (2025) - Film Review

      **Heads of State, 2025.**

      Directed by Ilya Naishuller.

      Featuring John Cena, Idris Elba, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Jack Quaid, Carla Gugino, Stephen Root, Sarah Niles, Richard Coyle, Paddy Considine, Clare Foster, Katrina Durden, Aleksandr Kuznetsov, Adrian Lukis, Robyn Pennington, Ingeborga Dapkunaite, Steven Cree, Huw Novelli, Arthur Lee, Aled llŷr Thomas, Peter Guiney, Shaq B. Grant, Darya Charusha, Cal-I Jonel, and Sharlto Copley.

      **SYNOPSIS:**

      After the UK Prime Minister and the US President become targets of a foreign enemy, they must rely on each other to stop a global conspiracy. In Ilya Naishuller’s "Heads of State," John Cena and Idris Elba find themselves navigating a one-joke premise where they depict clashing national leaders compelled to cooperate on a globe-trotting action-adventure, as a traitor within their ranks attempts to assassinate them during an Air Force One takeover. The ensuing chaos sees terrorists, led by Paddy Considine, hacking and disseminating government secrets, causing disputes within NATO and threatening its very existence.

      President Will Derringer (Cena) and British Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Elba) each have their own leadership styles, striving for the best interest of their nations. Interestingly, Will is portrayed as the more relaxed and goofy type (a caricature of current real-life political figures, minus any disturbing personal issues), who has transitioned from cheesy 80s action films into politics, referencing an international press tour for a film that inspired him to pursue change. However, he often comes off as a celebrity more focused on being liked than on serious governance, much to the chagrin of the more traditional, stoic Sam (Elba), who humorously critiques Will’s misunderstanding of a press conference versus a press junket, a clever joke that might be appreciated more by industry insiders than casual viewers.

      Another amusing moment arises when Will, amidst his frequent bickering with Sam, reveals his ambition to collaborate with renowned directors like Wes Anderson or Bong Joon Ho; this exchange hints at a deeper metatextual commentary on John Cena’s versatility as a performer, who excels in challenging or atypical roles. However, this is not one of them.

      When not engaged in arguments, the duo finds themselves in action sequences that, while adeptly executed when Naishuller focuses on close-combat brawling with dynamic camera movements, suffer from the constraints of a PG-13 rating, rendering the action feel light, bloodless, and excessively cartoonish. This contrasts with the homage the film attempts to pay to 80s action cinema. Additionally, larger set pieces involving explosions appear inadequately budgeted, drawing more attention to less impressive CGI and green screen effects, particularly when Amazon encourages critics to watch this streaming-only film on the big screen, which amplifies the visual shortcomings.

      Moreover, the narrative’s absurdity is noteworthy, as it understandably took three writers (Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, and Harrison Query) to craft a screenplay that includes a mole and a pun-loving female special forces agent (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), who also aims to capture the aforementioned terrorist, a Russian arms dealer with ambitions for nuclear warfare. Eventually, she teams up with the President and the Prime Minister to accomplish their mission, while softening their verbal disputes through humor.

      While John Cena and Idris Elba are both capable actors, it often seems like they struggle to create genuine chemistry, despite their entertaining presence. The action scenes, mostly solid, are marred by puzzling music choices that feel more suited for a nostalgic TBS viewing experience than a streaming context. Even more confusing, the filmmakers appear to treat these lackluster song selections as jokes, allowing them to play fully rather than dropping them at appropriate moments—such as a brief, random snippet of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” while characters are surging through a train.

      All this unfolds as they embark on a global journey, seemingly dead from the Air Force One incident, aiming to attend a NATO summit in Italy and confront the traitor. Along the way, new characters emerge, including Jack Quaid’s Marty, who helps Will from a safe house, leading to a clever and humorous action sequence. However, the political intrigue remains unremarkable, primarily conveying safe and generic themes of unity, albeit with good intentions.

      While "Heads of State" could have explored more political depth, it ultimately feels apolitical in its generic and absurd presentation. The film seems more aligned with an algorithm-driven approach to filmmaking aimed at providing easy consumption for viewers, which is a letdown from a filmmaker known for bold choices. You might expect better than a cookie-cutter output from Ilya Naishuller. The