Torn between motion and comedy, irony and sentiment, and rah-rah jingoism and real self-reflection, “Heads of State” is a surprisingly entertaining romp. From a distance, the star-studded Prime Video romp appears like a pretend movie-within-a-movie — which is ironic, given what number of of those it options in it operating time — however the stylings of “Hardcore Henry” and “No person” director Ilya Naishuller assist rescue it from the algorithmic abyss of movies like “Purple Discover,” which really feel extra like star-driven pyramid schemes than works of popcorn cinema.
Written by Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, and Harrison Question (from a narrative by the latter), it follows the rocky particular relationship between charismatic Hollywood motion star-turned U.S. President Will Derringer (John Cena) and embittered U.Ok. Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) amid a plot to kill them aboard Air Pressure One and destabilize NATO within the aftermath. Oh, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas is there too, considerably, as MI6 agent Noel Bisset, who disappears for a lot of the operating time, however re-emerges in spectacular trend.
It could be powerful for a movie so entrenched in politics to keep away from political entanglements in service of senseless motion. Nonetheless, it’s exhausting to not marvel if it ought to have at the least tried to take that route, given how steadily it journeys over itself whereas making an attempt imprecise, sermonizing factors about worldwide cooperation. On the core of “Heads of State,” whose POTUS is a literal film star, lies the concept that turn-your-brain-off leisure is a extra fascinating resolution to every day woes than taking note of diplomacy, regardless of the PM’s greatest efforts. Elba’s gruff, straight-to-the-point former soldier is offered because the extra sensible different to Cena’s inexperienced, nice-guy movie star politician — the Trumpian high quality of his ascent however. However on the finish of the day, in Naishuller’s cinematic actuality, gun fights and explosions are mightier than the pen, and stunts supersede the screenplay.
It performs, at instances, like two very totally different films in direct battle. The opening prologue, which sees Bisset fumble a joint CIA-MI6 mission to seize Russian arms supplier Viktor Gradov (Paddy Considine) earlier than he can steal a spy satellite tv for pc, swerves between banal, barely-functional character comedy, and fluid motion with sparks of mischief. This units the stage for what’s to return, since anytime “The Suicide Squad” co-stars Elba and Cena share the display screen, the film strains to seek out its comedic rhythms, till it shifts again into its video game-inspired motion mode.
Cena, regardless of his makes an attempt at wackadoo eccentricity, seldom has sufficient power to create significant distinction with Elba’s straight man (in reality, Elba is usually the funnier and sharper of the 2), and most dialogue scenes find yourself flat and repetitive. Nonetheless, the second any motion in any respect unfolds, “Heads of State” explodes in raucous trend. It has an inverse-Marvel drawback, whereby extra simple scenes really feel pre-designed by committee, however the fireworks come courtesy of somebody with a real cinematic eye, leading to ingenious, Rube Goldberg-ian motion sequences that recall the slick setups and payoffs of movies by Jackie Chan (solely these are set throughout dashing freeway pursuits and alongside lethal staircases).
The truth is, these set items are the place the film’s comedy lastly blooms. Chopra Jonas (and her stunt double, upon whose face hers has been jankily grafted) imbue Bisset with a hardened bodily presence, as she lunges at henchmen with livid punches and kicks. Derringer, who’s solely used to prop weapons, turns into an amusing strolling metaphor for impotence disguised by nationalistic fervor. And Clarke, though hilariously rusty at first given his time away from battle, ultimately settles into the position of a comedic Punisher of types.
Other than Gradov — who’s given the film’s solely actual trace of pathos — the precise character dynamics are flimsy. Bisset and Clarke have disposable private historical past that takes up far an excessive amount of respiratory room, and several other supporting gamers are too underdeveloped to fulfil their meant plot capabilities of both private sacrifice or pink herring. Nonetheless, when it comes time for motion spectacle, “Heads of State” is gleefully deranged (thanks largely to Ben Davis’s cartoonishly zippy wide-angle images). Take, for example, Jack Quaid, who has solely a single scene as Hawaiian shirt-wearing CIA station chief Marty Comer, however who makes a monumental affect by speedrunning via a safehouse shootout whereas surveilling Gradov’s rogue forces with the assistance of an unlimited CRT monitor cradled in his arms.
In fact, as with all Hollywood movie of its ilk, “Heads of State” has a weird and blinkered view of the world, via a distinctly American lens. There are unsavory issues that Western nations do which draw the ire of their enemies within the movie — a few of these have unlucky relevance in mild of current occasions — however these ugly truths are sometimes brushed apart as quickly as they’re introduced up, in favor of the equally ugly (however no much less truthful) notion that kick-ass Hollywood motion is extra alluring to the common particular person than a press release on geopolitics. At a time when america is flexing its may each at house and overseas, “Heads of State” is met with the Herculean problem of distracting audiences, whereas always gesturing in the direction of the exact same materials realities which may want escaping to start with.
In 2025, not everybody goes to have the ability to change off the a part of their mind or conscience that retains them glued to the information, particularly for the reason that movie is being despatched straight to streaming, the place viewers usually tend to watch it whereas scrolling the net. And whereas this poses the query of who the film is definitely for — you may suppose it’s a conservative, isolationist, “America First” fantasy, but it surely goes to nice lengths to refute this— the combined messaging of its idealistic, kumbaya dialogue and its vicious, ultra-patriotic motion imagery is a part of its sardonic allure. When it really works, “Heads of State” is a hoot.
Grade: B
“Heads of State” will likely be out there to stream on Prime Video beginning Wednesday, July 2.
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