Starring the brilliant cast of Priyanka Chopra Jonas, John Cena, and Idris Elba, Heads of State begins streaming on Amazon Prime on July 2nd. Directed by Ilya Naishuller, it is full of drama with pockets of comedy and action—and action and action!
But first, let’s set the scene:
In the world of Heads of State, the UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) and U.S. President Will Derringer (John Cena) have a not-so-friendly and very public rivalry that jeopardizes their countries’ “special relationship.” But when they become the targets of a powerful and ruthless foreign adversary—who proves more than a match for the two leaders’ security forces—they are begrudgingly forced to rely on the only two people they can trust: each other. Ultimately allied with the brilliant MI6 agent Noel Bisset (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), they must go on the run and find a way to work together long enough to thwart a global conspiracy that threatens the entire free world. Do they save the world? You have to wait and see.
The story plays out well, and the intrigue ‘intrigues’. There are strong ideas about the world in the film, but these important messages get lost as the full scope of the movie plays out. The story does become a bit cartoonish at times in some of the sequences, such as Priyanka’s montage or the big car chase with the slow-mo rocket. Overall, it does keep you engaged, but there were just too many booms, puns, pows, laughs, and side quests for the crux of the story to really be central. As for the typical action movie question we all ask ourselves, “Who is the inside man who betrayed them?” I won’t tell you. I will tell you that to my disappointment, it is actually very easy to figure it out.
So, did I enjoy it? Yes. Did I also wish there was more substance? Again, yes! Finally do I think the movie would benefit from being a bit less? Definitely, yes!
The action sequences were incredible; each was exciting and done so well that it felt true, except for one sequence. You will know which one I am referring to when you see it. The problem was there were just too many action scenes. Bad guys catch the President and Prime Minister, they clumsily fight, and our “heroes” manage to get away. Bad guys come back again and again and again. The security fails were numerous! It all just distracted, not enhanced. Maybe one or two less fights would have helped because by the end I was like “Really? Another?”
The main draw to this over-the-top action blaster is the cast. The ensemble cast, which includes Paddy Considine, Stephen Root, Carla Gugino, Jack Quaid, and Sarah Niles, was terrific. However, I need to single out Jack Quaid. He stole the scenes he was in, which is quite a feat since the scenes were with John Cena and Idris Elba.
John Cena impressed me so much. He had this innocent, almost naive vibe, but his strength and conviction existed. They wrote him a little too ‘GUNG HO American’ for my taste, but that is a personal pet peeve. As the film progresses, he really shows his strengths. He can be strong but also light and funny, and he really has the perfect delivery. He embodied the character in every moment, and it was a terrific performance.
Of course, Idris Elba was fantastic, but he, too, surprised me. There was this lightness that he eventually expressed that changed his entire being. His character was very staid, but in the vulnerable moments, he was exceptional. His eyes spoke volumes. He was perfect.
The two of them together were on fire! The spark, even with Idris’s deadpan delivery, shot off the screen. Each held their own within the scenes as their characters, but what made it special was that they added to each other, and that elevated them and the film. It was one of the best parts of the movie.
The best part, hands down, was Priyanka Chopra Jonas. She killed it in this role – pun intended. As soon as she came on-screen, she stole the focus, and every scene she was in was made better with her there. The range of bad ass MI 6 agent, that showcased her actions skills, to her longing looks, to her funny puns and the lightness of her being was everything this character needs and the movie especially needed. Brava!
Overall, Heads of State is a great action flick that also has the comedy and the drama. See it especially for the performances of the lead trio, they hit! Add in the epic action, and it Heads of State is a definite press play!
