Let the chaos spiral, let the fun shoot across the world, particularly when you put the president of the United States and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the same field together! This is how we unite the countries as one, right?
Well, a preposterous idea that probably sounded too asinine to roll onto the big screen from paper surprisingly has some charm to it. Heads of State delivers all the frivolous, dumb fun you can expect, and when you roll out pros like John Cena and Idris Elba to lead it, you’ve got some finesse ingrained into the product. Mr. Cena rolls out as the idolized, former action star, commanding the United States (with a bit of an Arnold Schwarzenegger flair added in) as President Derringer, while Mr. Elba maintains his calm demeanor after serving in the army, while battling low approval ratings for his country as Prime Minister Sam Clarke.
So, what does the plot say we should do to capitalize on the political flaws of both gentlemen? Put them on the same plane to showcase to the public media that relationships are all great and dandy as they head to a NATO summit, and nothing can go wrong. Well, everything goes absolutely wrong, as the Air Force One plane gets shot down by villainous thugs led by Viktor Gradov (Paddy Considine), so both Derringer and Clarke bail and land in Belarus. On their way to said summit, they must survive Gradov’s men and betrayals while stumbling across a familiar face, including a former partner of Clarke’s, Noel Bisset (Priyanka Chopra Jonas). Oh, and continue their bickering bromance by punching hoodlums, traveling in a livestock truck, getting shot at, and arguing about fish and chips.
Yes, there are a preposterous number of overplayed action tropes and comedy quips, but the writers and director Ilya Naishuller (known for Hardcore Henry and Nobody) do their best to make things fresh, such as a camera perspective from the inside of someone’s mouth missing a tooth or the rapid (and simple) montages of how characters get from Point A to Point B to advance the plot swiftly. Cena and Elba do their bromance shtick admirably, even if you subliminally wish for some more genuine laughs, as they proved in the anarchic playground of The Suicide Squad. Chopra Jonas takes the reins in worthwhile fashion, as she kicks butt and holds her place more than another run-of-the-mill love interest. And some of the action holds its own, whether inspired by James Bond or Jason Bourne’s past features, making it an engaging ride until its conclusion.
Yes, it’s nothing memorable or relentlessly captivating, especially when considering the (diluted) geopolitical tensions. Still, you’re watching the action at home for a reason: to have fun with Cena and Elba’s quiddities onscreen in Heads of State‘s absurdity.
