Heads of State Review
When you think of entertaining action films that delve into the world of politics, there’s several that come to mind. From White House Down to Olympus Has Fallen, action-focused political thrillers certainly have an edge when it comes to delivering that sense of excitement. Now, Prime Video is trying their hand once more with this genre, following their recent run with G20 and now with Heads of State. From the director behind Nobody, the most memorable Bob Odenkirk fight flick, Heads of State will give you all the entertainment of a ‘90s team-up movie you want.
Heads of State follows two different personalities: actor-turned-President Will Derringer (John Cena) and England’s Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba). Though both men are at two ends of the popularity spectrum, with Derringer’s celebrity through the roof and Clarke at an all time low, things take a drastic turn. When their careers are upended by an international terrorist, Derringer and Clarke must put aside their differences to save the world.
Perhaps what makes Heads of State work the way that it does is the hilarious chemistry Cena and Elba share throughout the film. Cena’s egotistical, arrogant Derringer provides much of the off-handed comedy even though he can be somewhat brash. Essentially, his character is what happens if you combine the witty humor from Peacemaker with somebody like Harrison Ford’s James Marshall from Air Force One. It pairs well with the more down-to-earth, slightly pessimistic Clarke, who plays a straight man to Derringer’s hijinks. Cena and Elba are great together and each situation they’re in proves their dynamic works even more.
Furthermore, the side cast helped to elevate Cena and Elba’s dynamic, particularly with Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ Noel. Even though she doesn’t appear much until halfway through, Jonas gives Noel this determination and hesitancy with Elba’s Clarke that creates this empathetic spark in him. While the exposition behind it is a bit brief, each scene they have helps round out Clarke as an actual person. Meanwhile, Jack Quaid’s Marty is incredibly funny as the patriotic, nerdy agent who’s more than just the protector for Derringer and Clarke.
Given how Heads of State is primarily an action film, it doesn’t disappoint on delivering big action sequences. Fortunately, there’s so many moments that will satiate your need with three particular huge set pieces. With each of these sequences, the camerawork keeps you constantly on the move while continuously being unrelenting with the stakes. There’s this one huge fight on Air Force One and even though some of it was teased in the trailers, the full scene itself with the rotating camera is something to behold.
However, the more close-up fights and tension-building moments are also pretty exciting as well. While some rely on hardball circumstantial comedy (thanks to Derringer’s nonchalant-ness), others are purely eye-catching. In particular, there’s one sequence with Marty that nearly feels like it’s shot and choreographed like a John Wick movie with its top-down perspectives. For other scenes, like the opening moments of Heads of State involving Noel and her original team, they’re able to keep you hooked because of that intense focus.
The story of Heads of State can be a bit twisty, adding onto the intense stakes that are already there. Some of these twists may be predictable as some may switch sides. However, the big one will certainly throw you into a loop as Derringer and Clarke try to make sense of NATO’s madness.
The fast pacing means that there are so many exposition drops involving Derringer and Clarke’s pasts that try to fill the gaps in between all the action. As much as I’d love to know more about these characters, the film can drop too much onto you as it keeps moving. Furthermore, the actual terrorist threat loses its intimidation factor by the beginning of the third act and only comes back to have that satisfying ending.
Heads of State is a fun ride, with all the explosive moments you could want and John Cena and Idris Elba proving they’ve got the chemistry as an action duo. Though its story can use more polish and reworking, this film is still exciting enough to be fulfilling for audiences that are looking for more high stakes movies.
Heads of State begins streaming on Prime Video on July 2.
Rating: ★★★½
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Christopher Gallardo is a freelance entertainment writer and critic. While not running The Reel Roller, Chris can be found writing reviews and breakdowns on all things films and TV. Outside of entertainment writing, he’s currently taking classes for a Bachelor’s of Science with a minor in Digital Media & Journalism. Plus, he loves Percy Jackson, animated films and shows, and Fallout! Follow Christopher on Instagram & X.