Remember when buddy action comedies weren’t trying to reinvent the wheel? Prime Video’s “Heads of State” seems determined to recapture that magic—and honestly, it’s about time. The newly dropped trailer (narrated by what sounds unmistakably like Sharlto Copley having the time of his life) hits all the right notes of excessive action and mismatched partnerships that made films like “Bad Boys” and “Rush Hour” such enduring favorites.
This time around, we’re getting John Cena and Idris Elba—who last shared screen time beating each other senseless in “The Suicide Squad”—playing nice(ish) together. Well, sort of. The premise reads like something cooked up during a particularly inspired late-night writing session: Elba steps into the shoes of British PM Sam Clarke, while Cena takes on U.S. President Will Derringer. Oh, and because someone clearly knows what they’re doing with casting, Derringer is also an actor-turned-president (wink, wink).
The setup? Air Force One gets shot down over hostile territory. Yeah, it’s exactly the kind of bonkers premise that would’ve had producers throwing money at the screen back in ’96—and somehow feels perfectly at home in 2025’s increasingly bizarre political landscape.
Director Ilya Naishuller (fresh off the surprisingly solid “Nobody”) seems to get it. This isn’t trying to be “All the President’s Men” with explosions. The addition of Priyanka Chopra Jonas as MI6 agent Noel Bisset adds some welcome complexity to what could’ve been a straightforward buddy formula. Then there’s the supporting cast—good lord. We’re talking Carla Gugino, Jack Quaid, Stephen Root, Sarah Niles, Richard Coyle, and Paddy Considine. That’s not a cast list; that’s a character actor wishlist.
What’s particularly refreshing is how the film walks that tricky tightrope between self-aware comedy and genuine stakes. The synopsis—two world leaders forced to team up against a global conspiracy threatening the free world—could’ve been ripped straight from a 90s video store shelf. But sometimes the classics work for a reason.
The production values definitely suggest Prime Video didn’t cheap out. Between the pyrotechnics and stunt work, there’s clearly serious money on screen. But let’s be real—nobody’s showing up for the explosions (though they sure don’t hurt). It’s the promise of watching Cena and Elba’s “not-so-friendly and very public rivalry” evolve into reluctant cooperation that sells the whole concept.
The writing team of Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, and Harrison Query seems to understand the fundamental truth about action comedies: chemistry trumps choreography every time. Though from the looks of it, we’re getting plenty of both.
Dropping on July 2nd, “Heads of State” might just be the perfect antidote to our current reality—where actual political tensions have everyone doom-scrolling through their news feeds. There’s something oddly therapeutic about watching fictional world leaders sort out their differences with snappy one-liners and synchronized butt-kicking.
In an era where every other action movie seems desperate to reinvent the genre or make some profound statement about society, there’s something almost revolutionary about a film that just wants to show us a good time. And honestly? We could probably use a bit more of that right now.
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