"Heads of State", 2025

Geopolitics with fists: a review of Ilya Naishuller's action film "Heads of State"

A comedic farce with hints of political satire, starring Idris Elba, John Cena, and a host of other stars.

The action comedy Heads of State has been released on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service. In this film, Idris Elba and John Cena save the world with serious expressions on their faces, while somewhere nearby either Air Force One or common sense is burning to the ground. And Ilya Naishuller, who has returned to directing feature films after a four-year hiatus, continues to test the mettle of Hollywood actors. And if Nobody, starring Bob Odenkirk, threw an atypical dramatic character into typical action movie settings, then Heads takes a course towards stability, following the patterns of the Marvel era.

The plot of the film, however, works more like a road comedy, even though the journey is just a well-trodden route from mutual animosity to a restrained handshake, passing through Eastern Europe. The heroes of the evening are US President Will Derringer (Cina), a former macho action hero who has been in office for only a few months, and the seasoned British Prime Minister Sam Clark (Elba), the embodiment of restraint and English primness. Will flaunts his approval ratings (never forgetting to rub his opponent's nose in his own rapidly falling numbers), his training with the Marines (only for the role) and his grandeur, broadcast via social media. Sam, who actually served in the army, goes jogging without security, is diplomatic, adept at dealing with the press, and looks at his American colleague as if he were a child who has gained access to the nuclear briefcase.

At their first joint press conference, the heroes demonstrate fundamentally different approaches to problems: Derringer promises to severely and swiftly punish the mercenaries who recently disrupted the operation to capture Russian arms dealer Viktor Gradov (Paddy Considine), Clark promises to get to the bottom of everything and take the necessary measures. To demonstrate unity to the world, the politicians decide to travel together to the NATO summit in Italy aboard the US president's plane. But the enemies of democracy find their way there too. After the epic destruction of the aircraft, a brief panic and a tearful conversation with a security officer, the leaders parachute into the forests of Belarus. Sam and Will must become partners and make their way to Warsaw, exposing the villain Gradov along the way.

As you might guess, Naischuller drew inspiration from classic action films of the 1990s, from Midnight Run to Air Force One. The director clearly first saw the power of the Elba and Ciny comedy duo in James Gunn's Suicide Squad: Mission Impossible, where the actors had similar roles: ‘I am you, but better,’ Ciny's character said to his opponent. The path of rival politicians to accepting each other is brightened by characters who are no less colourful — such as the weapon- and conspiracy theory-obsessed agent Marty Comer (Jack Quaid) or the indestructible MI6 employee Noel Bisset (Priyanka Chopra Jonas). However, each of the secondary characters is only needed to push the protagonists further along the plot and participate in spectacular action scenes.

Nayshuler himself hides in the clashes with the villains. If Heads of State consists entirely of borrowings, the feverish style of the director of Hardcore is easily recognisable when, for example, the heroes encounter Belarusian hooligans while searching for a car. The fight that breaks out after an awkward attempt at acquaintance may be inferior in ingenuity to Hutch's famous bus battle in Nobody, but it looks like a serious contender for one of the best scenes in comedy action films. However, Naischuller's brutality in ‘Chapters’ has given way to Hollywood showmanship. Perhaps this is due to the increased budget, the ‘herbivorous’ age rating, or the creators' conscious decision to go for farce.

The satirical aspect of the film also feels sterile. In 2025, such a clichéd parody of Donald Trump, who will literally knock it out with another gem the very next day, barely reaching social media, cannot withstand any criticism. And Naischuller's global commentary (if the author intended it as such), which includes arms dealers with cobra-like habits and officials grinding their teeth, is neither original nor sharp. On the other hand, viewing a summer action film steeped in the spirit of video rentals as a programmatic statement is even more thankless than forcing John Cena to wear a long red tie.

What really works is the chemistry between Sina and Elba. The former essentially plays himself: a slightly awkward but charming bruiser who is loved for his positive energy that radiates in all directions. The latter is the embodiment of dramatic seriousness in a deliberately absurd script. And while their dialogue isn't always funny, when it comes to the kind of ‘physical humour’ that saved VHS-era comedies, what happens on screen is nothing short of miraculous. It's nice to know that Heads of State doesn't pretend to be an intellectual comedy, but simply wants to be a bright spectacle — as predictable and comfortably silly as possible.