Heads of State - Baloney, Buddies and Banter

Heads of State

Action/Comedy

115 mins

PrimeVideo

 

Action comedy is a genre usually built on loony themes, zero logic, great chemistry between the leads with a general desire to give the audience a good time. Heads of State belongs firmly in that space. It is one of those movies you throw on, with your feet up on a Friday night after a long week and just roll with it.

Directed by Ilya Naishuller—who gave us a stylish, Saul Goodman and John Wick crossover in the entertaining Nobody, Heads of State brings together POTUS John Cena (a cross between Reagan and… you-know-who) and Prime Minister Idris Elba, who detest each other but are forced to team up after a rogue insider triggers an assassination attempt. With the help of intelligence operative Priyanka Chopra Jonas, they must put aside their differences and stop NATO from being shut down. That is all there is to the movie.

It is easy-breezy baloney. Idris Elba is the battle-hardened veteran and John Cena is the comic-action-hero-turned-President. Their banter is sharp, crisp and  fun. PCJ actually shines in her action scenes (though some close-ups do reveal a stunt double), and the “trimestry” they share (pun intended) is chirpy.

It is refreshing to see PCJ in a role that is not just decorative—there is a whiff of Quantico here, so it is an easy outing for her. Jack Quaid pops up in a cameo that is  not far off from his The Boys persona.

The film does not look to reinvent the genre. It is  self-aware, but also pretty entertaining. There is  one standout action sequence involving “The Beast” (yes, the Presidential limo), which is well executed. Paddy Considine plays an Eastern European villain, though he find it hard to ditch his native accent.

The pacing dips a bit in the middle, thanks to some needless romance (duh), but the movie is otherwise brisk and busy. If you are in the mood for an old-school buddy action comedy, with clever jabs and a bit of self-deprecating humor, this is  a decent one-time watch. It is like your favorite popcorn: you know you should stop, but somehow, you keep going back for more.