Movie Review: Elba, Cena, And Jonas Glowingly Bask In The Spotlight In “Heads Of State”

When the UK Prime Minister and US President become the targets of a foreign adversary, they’re forced to rely on one another to thwart a global conspiracy.

An unlikely ensemble cast explodes onto the screen today in “Heads of State,” a fun-filled, action-packed comedy-thriller that rarely skips a beat. The film makes for an enjoyable romp through picturesque European locales, featuring a flavorful mix of good and bad guys and gals as they barrel toward its inevitable conclusion.

Idris Elba takes top billing as Sam Clarke, the Prime Minister of England, now six years into his somewhat beleaguered tenure and looking for opportunities to get a bump in the polls. John Cena plays Will Derringer, the President of the United States and a former movie star trading on his war hero persona for a career in politics. He knows how to play a crowd and does so with gleeful aplomb. Prime Minister Clarke, by comparison, maintains a much more subdued demeanor, as one might expect from a somewhat stuffy Brit.

The opening scenes feature Priyanka Chopra Jonas as MI6 operative Noel Bisset, whose fellow agents are hot on the trail of an international arms dealer who has not been seen in public for two years. When their mission is compromised in an ambush, Noel’s entire team is killed. Further, she is reported missing and presumed dead.

The rival op is orchestrated by Viktor Gradov (Paddy Considine), who seeks revenge for the death of his son at the hands of a joint US and UK military strike. He is aided by Arthur Hammond, who offers a familiar presence as the conflicted computer hacker, an unwilling accomplice to Gradov.

Though halfheartedly agreeing to a photo opportunity with President Derringer on Air Force One, Prime Minister Clarke at least gets to imbibe in a rich Kentucky Bourbon – a fine example of American exceptionalism, as he graciously calls it. However, trouble is brewing elsewhere. A lone assassin onboard disables key defense mechanisms, and suddenly the enormous plane is under siege. Despite the experienced pilots’ valiant efforts to dodge and weave their way through the incoming ordinance, things go downhill fast. The two heads of state barely escape alive by parachuting into the trees of Belarus, as Air Force One goes down, leaving no survivors.

Lost in the woods, the ill-matched and intrepid duo must find their way to a safe house in neighboring Poland. They eventually learn that virtually all of their electronic security has been infiltrated, which further hampers their efforts to solve the mysterious turn of events. In addition, they learn that a traitor occupies a high-ranking position within one of the administrations comprising the special relationship.

Happily, Agent Bisset eventually resurfaces from her near-death experience, not a moment too soon to rescue Derringer and Clarke from a bad end. From there, the trio punches and ducks their way through intrigue and peril at every turn. Interestingly, Clarke and Bisset used to be an item before he decided to run for political office, with lofty hopes of making the world a better place. The two former combat veterans share much in common, except for Bisset’s somewhat annoying affinity for bad puns – a goofy quirk that Derringer relishes as well. Seemingly silly at first, the script makes capable use of this plot device by the time the closing credits roll.

Directed by Ilya Naishuller, “Heads of State” moves along at a brisk pace, pausing only periodically for some good one-liners or a bit of character development. No one could mistake this outing for anything overly cerebral, which it does so unapologetically, and constitutes the bulk of its charm. Indeed, the movie delivers exactly as advertised and in fine form across its lively two-hour runtime.

Streaming exclusively on Prime Video Wednesday, July 2nd