'Heads of State' review: A joyfully dumb Action-Comedy that nails the old-school buddy formula
Modern action-comedies rarely balance chaos and charm as skillfully as Heads of State. Directed by Ilya Naishuller, this high-energy political adventure throws back to the 1980s with unapologetic flair. From mismatched heroes to implausible set pieces, it delivers the kind of popcorn-fueled fun that mainstream cinema has recently forgotten how to do well.
Cena and Elba team up in Heads of State, a wildly fun 1980s-style buddy action-comedy that nails the balance between chaos and charm.
Prime Video
Prime Video
A few tweaks to the tech—swap smartphones for pagers, remove GPS—and the film could convincingly pass as a Reagan-era classic. That time-capsule quality is no accident. Naishuller leans into the absurdity with clear affection, drawing from the DNA of Lethal Weapon, Midnight Run, and other action-comedy staples. The result is a film that doesn’t take itself seriously, and benefits enormously from that choice.
Opening with an undercover sting operation gone horribly wrong, the film introduces Paddy Considine as a nameless villain whose presence is mostly to kickstart chaos. What follows is a clash of world leaders: UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba), weary and politically bruised, and U.S. President Will Derringer (John Cena), a former action star who confuses diplomacy with scripted heroism. Early interactions between the two can feel uneven, with Cena’s big, cartoonish energy not fully syncing with Elba’s gruff realism.
Things begin to click once Air Force One is shot down and the two leaders are stranded in the Belarusian wilderness. Clarke’s former SAS training kicks in, while Derringer’s Hollywood instincts prove tragically unhelpful. Watching Cena attempt choreographed fight scenes against real opponents—and fail—is a recurring gag that never overstays its welcome. Elba, playing the exasperated straight man, lands laughs with little more than a glance or a sigh.
Each sequence leans further into goofiness. A survival montage involving pinecones, misfiring drones, and an accidental diplomatic incident via flare gun keeps the pacing brisk. By the time a rogue tank chase through a frozen village occurs, the film is operating in full parody mode. Still, it retains enough structure to hold together, never collapsing under the weight of its silliness.
Naishuller’s strength lies in escalation. Rather than cramming all the absurdity into the first half, he lets it build organically. The tone grows more unhinged with every scene, yet remains coherent—a tightrope walk few comedies manage successfully. His previous work on Hardcore Henry and Nobody makes him well-suited to this kind of high-octane lunacy.
John Cena thrives in roles built on oblivious confidence. President Derringer is the kind of character who could only exist in a movie, and Cena plays him with just the right balance of bombast and sincerity. Idris Elba, often cast in heavy or stoic roles, brings surprising comic timing that adds layers to what could have been a one-note performance.
Action scenes, while deliberately ludicrous, are choreographed with care. The climactic car chase—featuring snowmobiles, a convoy of goats, and a conveniently placed bungee cord—defies physics, logic, and probably international law. Yet it’s executed with such commitment that disbelief becomes part of the enjoyment.
A great dumb comedy doesn’t insult its audience—it invites them in on the joke. Heads of State understands this better than most. It plays with clichés, references its own tropes, and still delivers genuine laughs alongside the parody. The script offers just enough character development to keep the audience engaged, without ever bogging down the momentum.
For viewers exhausted by self-serious blockbusters and franchise fatigue, Heads of State provides a welcome escape. It’s not trying to be clever or profound. It wants to entertain—and it succeeds spectacularly.
Heads of State is a masterclass in controlled ridiculousness. With Cena and Elba proving a perfect odd-couple pairing and Naishuller at the helm, this film proudly waves the banner for big, dumb, brilliantly executed fun.
