Heads of State Review: As Dull As Citadel, Just Add Humour

RATING - ⭐⭐✨ 2.5/5*

Heads of State Review Movie Talkies:

It always feels a bit foolish when a film tells you it's about two world leaders—no less than the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom—who behave like overgrown children. The very premise sounds absurd for an action thriller. But what do the makers do? They throw in some buddy-comedy banter to cushion the absurdity. It’s almost like they knew the story wouldn’t work as a straight-faced thriller, so they decided to use humour as a smokescreen. Prime Video already bored audiences to death with Citadel, and now brings Heads of State—a film that feels like it’s been produced to cover up that failure. And while this one’s still a mess, the comic relief at least offers something to chew on. Because if not for the laughs, this would be just as dead on arrival as Citadel.

Heads of State Story:

The plot follows Will Derringer (John Cena), the President of the United States, and Sam Clarke (Idris Elba), the British Prime Minister, who are forced to come together to approve a NATO plan for global cooperation. They can't stand each other—cue the predictable bickering—but agree to travel and pose together to show diplomatic unity. Things take a sudden turn when their aircraft is attacked and brought down by a foreign adversary. Thanks to a heroic security officer, the duo escapes via parachutes and crash-lands in hostile territory. Now on the run, these two world leaders must overcome their differences to uncover a global conspiracy, expose the insider who orchestrated the attack, and somehow survive long enough to do some actual good.

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Harrison Query pens a story that feels like it’s been collecting dust on a shelf since the 1990s. It’s loaded with predictable twists, worn-out tropes, and a structure that feels painfully dated. With Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec joining him on screenplay duties, there’s some attempt to jazz things up, but it never really comes together. The humour is immature and ill-suited for the dignified offices these characters are supposed to represent. Watching two supposed heads of state bicker like schoolboys might get a laugh or two, but believability goes out the window pretty early. Take Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s character, for example. She’s shot from point-blank range in the opening sequence—and somehow lives to fight another day. You see it coming, of course. It’s moments like this that make you question whether the writers genuinely thought this through or just assumed audiences wouldn’t care. The film is littered with such logic-defying scenes, making it hard to take seriously, even as an action-comedy. That said, not everything is terrible. The action sequences are occasionally engaging, and the comedic bits—when they land—offer some relief from the otherwise uninspired writing. It’s a film that knows its own limitations and seems content with aiming for mediocrity, hoping charisma and chaos will carry it through.

Heads of State Cast:

Performance-wise, John Cena does exactly what’s expected of him. He’s not a seasoned actor by any stretch, but his larger-than-life presence suits the goofy, over-the-top President he’s asked to play. Idris Elba brings a bit more class and control to the proceedings, though even he struggles with the juvenile tone. Priyanka Chopra Jonas barely has any dramatic scenes but gets to flex some action chops. Carla Gugino and Sarah Niles are underutilized, and while the film occasionally teases surprises, they’re not exactly game-changers. Paddy Considine makes for a formidable presence, Stephen Root has a rare “finally something good” moment, and Jack Quaid is serviceable. The rest of the cast is decent.

Heads of State Movie Review:

On the technical side, Heads of State fares better. Ben Davis’s cinematography gives the action sequences a decent visual punch, and the fight choreography leans into massy entertainment. The film is well-paced, clocking in at under two hours with tight editing by Tom Harrison-Read. A few musical choices during chase scenes feel slightly off-key emotionally but still manage to keep up the momentum. Visual effects and production design, though, are inconsistent—passable in some scenes, jarringly fake in others. As for director Ilya Naishuller, he keeps things moving briskly but never infuses the film with any cinematic gravitas or emotional depth. And that’s the biggest problem. Without any genuine stakes, tension, or heart, the film feels hollow—like a bloated sketch stretched over a full runtime. It entertains in fits and starts, but never really makes you care. Overall, Heads of State is an average, disposable watch, salvaged slightly by bursts of humour and action. If you’re in the mood for something brainless but occasionally funny, it might pass the time. Just don’t expect anything sharp, smart, or new. Otherwise, feel free to turn your heads somewhere else.

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