Heads of State finds the funny in global tensions as Idris Elba and John Cena bicker, bond, and blow things up in Prime Video’s newest action-comedy.

It’s a sad world we live in when Heads of State—a big, broad action-comedy starring Idris Elba and John Cena—goes straight to streaming instead of getting a proper theatrical run. That’s just the reality of the current era, especially for comedies. Laughter is contagious, and it’s harder to laugh out loud at home unless you’re revisiting a classic you already know by heart. I’m grateful I had the chance to see Heads of State on the big screen, where comedy still lands best—with a crowd.

The premise is completely absurd, and that’s part of the fun. As anyone familiar with modern geopolitics knows, the United States and United Kingdom have long held a “special relationship,” going back at least to World War II. But in this universe, UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) and newly elected U.S. President Will Derringer (John Cena) are anything but diplomatic. Clarke is a six-year veteran of 10 Downing Street. Derringer, meanwhile, is a former action star whose political rise has more in common with pop culture than policy. Heads of State filmed in 2023 and early 2024 as an FYI.

Their initial meeting is tense—Derringer still hasn’t forgiven Clarke for being photographed having fish and chips with his opponent during the campaign. It’s a Trumpian grudge, and he clings to it. Even after watching the film, I’m not sure whether Derringer is supposed to be more Schwarzenegger or more… the other guy. What’s clear is that despite his movie-star past, Derringer likely relied heavily on his stunt double. The irony? Clarke is the one with real military training as a former SAS-trained commando.

Elba and Cena make the most of every glare, jab, and slow-burn moment. Their dynamic is more buddy-cop bickering than statesmanlike decorum—and that’s where the film shines. There’s even a moment where Derringer, former action hero that he is, hesitates before jumping out of a plane—and it’s those little nods to his past life that make the performance land.

The two leaders are scheduled to travel to a NATO meeting in Italy, but a ruthless foreign adversary (played by Paddy Considine) has other plans. When their security is compromised in an Air Force One-style ambush, Clarke and Derringer are forced to rely on each other—at least until MI6 agent Noel Bisset (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) re-enters the picture after a stylish cold open set in Spain. Noel and the prime minister have a shared history together, which helps explain why she helps the two leaders in a desperate bid to stop a conspiracy that threatens the entire free world.

I’m glad I had the chance to see Heads of State on the big screen. As mentioned earlier, comedies hit harder with a live, communal audience. There were moments that didn’t just get laughs—they got applause. Will those same beats land as well from your couch or bed, or however you stream it? Hard to say.

Watching the film, I couldn’t help but wonder if the script—by Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, and Harrison Query—was meant as a commentary on current international affairs. Amazon Studios picked up Heads of State back in October 2020, but it’s being released under the MGM banner in 2025, and the timing feels… pointed. Imagine, for a moment, a scenario where the convicted felon ends up paired with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. It’s hard to picture them surviving five minutes together. There’s definitely some “America First” satire baked into the film, though interestingly, none of it seems to come from Derringer himself.

The film doesn’t dig deep into policy, but it understands the pageantry of modern leadership—the optics, the posturing, the egos too big for the press conference podium.

Heads of State works best as a big, silly, sharply cast action-comedy that knows exactly how ridiculous it is—and leans into it. Some jokes land better than others, but when it clicks, it clicks. It’s the kind of movie that benefits from a packed house, not just for the laughs but for the energy. There’s real joy in watching Elba and Cena tear into each other while the world burns around them, and just enough bite beneath the surface to remind you why satire—especially the kind dressed up in explosions and ego—is still worth showing up for.

DIRECTOR: Ilya Naishuller
SCREENWRITERS: Josh Appelbaum & André Nemec and Harrison Query
CAST: Idris Elba, John Cena, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Carla Gugino, Jack Quaid, Stephen Root, Sarah Niles, Richard Coyle, and Paddy Considine

Prime Video will release Heads of State on July 2, 2025. Grade: 4/5

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