‘Heads of State’ is the kind of film that walks into the room wearing its ridiculousness like a shiny badge. From the very first scene, Gipsy King’s ‘Volare’ sets the mood, and you know this isn’t going to be a film that takes itself seriously—and honestly, that’s its biggest strength.
Director Ilya Naishuller doesn’t try to dress it up as anything more than what it is: an over-the-top, globe-trotting action comedy that relies heavily on charm, chaos, and chemistry. It’s loud, messy, silly, and doesn’t pretend otherwise.
But if you’re in the mood to switch off, sit back, and go along for the ride, there’s fun to be had—mostly thanks to Idris Elba and John Cena, who throw themselves headfirst into the madness with surprising commitment.
An odd couple diplomatic disaster
The setup is classic buddy movie stuff, but with world leaders instead of rogue cops. Will Derringer (John Cena) is a former Hollywood action star—his ‘Water Cobra’ franchise now enjoys cult status—who somehow finds himself as the President of the United States.
On the other hand, we have UK Prime Minister Sam Clark (Idris Elba), whose approval ratings are heading south and who is clearly not thrilled about rubbing shoulders with an ex-actor turned head of state. The two meet in London for a diplomatic event around a cutting-edge NATO technology reveal, but things quickly spiral out of control.
After a disastrous joint press conference, their political aides decide damage control is best done mid-air, so the duo board Air Force One together en route to the NATO summit in Trieste, Italy.
But of course, nothing goes as per plan. There’s a parallel storyline involving Viktor Gradov (Paddy Considine), a revenge-driven arms dealer whose son was taken out by a joint MI6-CIA operation. Gradov’s men manage to shoot down Air Force One, sending the president and prime minister crashing into the forests of Belarus.
Now stuck behind enemy lines, the two men—who can barely stand each other—must cross multiple countries (Poland, Croatia, and Austria) to make it to the summit. What follows is a chaotic journey full of fights, foot chases, a train journey, and enough explosions to fill five movies.
Logic takes a backseat
Now, if you're wondering whether any of this makes sense—don't bother. ‘Heads of State’ isn’t a film that rewards overthinking. The plot is riddled with holes, logic takes a permanent holiday, and character motivations are often paper thin.
But the catch is—the film knows all of this. It’s not trying to be clever or even remotely grounded. The bickering between Cena and Elba is the beating heart of the film, and their timing is spot on.
Whether it's Clark teasing Derringer about his acting past or Derringer taking digs at Clark’s stiff British mannerisms, the banter flows naturally and often lands.
Supporting characters don’t get much breathing room, which is sad, especially when you’ve got Carla Gugino, Jack Quaid, and Stephen Root in the mix. They’re mostly around to move the plot forward. Priyanka Chopra Jonas, however, does get a meatier role.
She plays Noel Bisset, an MI6 operative with a no-nonsense attitude and a complicated history with Elba’s character. She’s got some solid action moments and, to the film’s credit, isn’t just treated as eye candy.
The sequence featuring Priyanka revealing what she’s been up to after the operation in Spain went south is a masterstroke in silliness—it makes no sense, but it’s played with such conviction that you can’t help but laugh.
Popcorn-ready nonsense
What makes the film strangely enjoyable is how it treats its characters like actual people, not invincible superheroes. They get bruised, they panic, and they make mistakes.
There’s a method to madness in the way they fight—more bar brawl than martial arts showcase—and that grounds the madness, just a little. It also helps that the film never lingers too long on any one moment.
Scenes move at breakneck speed, keeping you away from picking the absurdity before the next explosion or joke kicks in.
‘Heads of State’ isn’t a game-changer. It’s not trying to be smart or satirical or even remotely believable. But it is fun.
It embraces its stupidity so fully that it becomes oddly charming. It’s the kind of film you watch on a weekend with a giant tub of popcorn, fully aware of what you’ve signed up for. Sure, it’s forgettable. But for two hours, while Cena and Elba punch their way across Europe, you won’t really mind.
Cast: Idris Elba, John Cena, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Paddy Considine, and Jack Quaid
Director: Ilya Naishuller
Rating: 3.5/5
(‘Heads of State’ begins streaming on Prime Video on July 2)
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