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Heads of State on Prime Video: Cena and Elba Save the World (And This Movie)
- Sakshi D
- Jul 23
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 30
Look, I wasn’t expecting much from Heads of State on Prime Video. Another generic action flick with big names slapped on the poster? But damn, this thing works. It’s dumb as hell, but it’s intentionally dumb as hell, and that makes all the difference.
TMJ Rating: 🍿🍿🍿/5
What You Need to Know
John Cena plays Will Derringer, a former action movie star who somehow became President of the United States (because apparently we live in that timeline now). Idris Elba is Sam Clarke, the UK Prime Minister who’s ex-special forces, so he’s the real deal while Will’s pretending to be a badass.
When these two world leaders get targeted by foreign enemies, Air Force One gets shot down, and they’re forced to survive together in hostile territory.
The whole thing kicks off because Sam had fish and chips with Will’s opponent during the election. Yeah, it’s petty like that. But that’s the point: these are two guys with massive egos who have to learn to work together when the chips are down.
Acting and Cast Performance
Cena and Elba are the heart of this thing.
Their chemistry is what saves the movie from being another forgettable action romp. Cena’s playing against type here: he’s not the invincible Superman; he’s clumsy and out of his depth. Meanwhile, Elba brings that reserved British charm but can flip the switch when it’s time to kick ass.
The supporting cast is stacked, too.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas shows up as MI6 agent Noel Bisset, and honestly, she’s gotten really comfortable with the action star thing after Citadel. Though I’ll be real: at times I wondered what she was even doing there. Her character felt unnecessary and didn’t tie anything together. Her puns were a nice cringe touch, though, so there’s that.
Jack Quaid (yes, from The Boys) steals every scene he’s in as this psychopathic CIA agent who’s way too happy about violence.
And Paddy Considine makes a fantastic villain: the guy never misses.
Story and Pacing of Heads of State Prime Video
The script knows exactly what it is.
It’s not trying to be some deep political thriller—it’s here to have fun and make you laugh. The whole “action star becomes president” concept could’ve been cringey, but they lean into the absurdity rather than fighting it.
The pacing keeps things moving. At 90-something minutes, it doesn’t overstay its welcome. Get in, blow stuff up, crack some jokes, get out. That’s smart filmmaking right there.
Sure, there are some exposition dumps, but they handle them well.
Action and Direction
Ilya Naishuller (the guy who did Hardcore Henry and Nobody) knows how to balance comedy and chaos. The action scenes are properly mental: lots of explosions, gunfights, and that standout car chase that seamlessly turns into a close-quarters brawl.
Yeah, most of the fire and explosions are digital, but who cares? It’s just a fun Saturday night movie, and the action delivers on that promise.
The Air Force One attack sequence is genuinely impressive: ambitious and well-executed. These are the moments where you remember this actually had a decent budget.
Tone and Comparisons
Heads of State has that classic buddy cop DNA: two guys who hate each other, forced to work together, eventually become friends.
The movie also works as a weird road trip comedy. Watching these two world leaders stumble through foreign territory, arguing about leadership while dodging bullets, is genuinely entertaining.
Should You Watch It?
If you’ve got Prime Video and want something fun that won’t make you think too hard, absolutely. It’s the definition of a solid streaming movie: you’ll have a good time, maybe laugh out loud a few times, then move on with your life.
It’s not groundbreaking cinema, but it’s not trying to be. It’s comfort food for action movie fans. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
What did you think of Heads of State? Did the buddy cop formula work for you, or was it too cheesy? Let me know in the comments below.
