Saving the World Wasn’t on Their Agenda
British Prime Minister Clarke and the U.S. President Derringer are not the best of friends due to their public rivalry. After surviving a near-death experience on Air Force One, Sam Clarke (played by Idris Elba) and Will Derringer (played by John Cena) are forced to put their differences aside to curb a global crisis and bring down a common enemy. Ilya Naishuller directed Heads of State, and featured movie stars Elba, Cena, Priyanka Chopra, Jack Quaid, Paddy Considine, Stephen Root, and Carla Gugino.
What Sets ‘Heads of State’ Apart
Elba and Cena, two actors who act like brothers, starred in the action thriller Heads of State. This film highlights the pros and cons of American politics. The pairing of Elba and Cena as world leaders gives the film a new dynamic, as it balances charisma, tension, and solid humor. Unlike other political thrillers with overly serious storylines, Heads of State blends comedy and action, making it engaging and less complicated. Will Derringer, the President of America, and Sam Clarke, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, who had their differences as Heads of State, kept it behind to fight a mutual enemy. It also sheds light on vengeance. A Russian arms dealer, Gradov (played by Considine), who lost his son in a bomb blast by NATO, vows to eliminate all presidents involved in his son’s death. But he can’t do this without the help of an insider, which is where the cons of politics come in. The Heads of State storyline does well to keep the viewers in suspense and unable to predict what happens next. The film’s comedic action feels natural and advanced, especially with the sophisticated equipment used in the film.
Heads of State is worth watching because of the action duos, Elba and Cena, who brought their top-notch acting skills to this thriller. Their humorous dialogue served as the backbone of the film’s comedy. Like Derringer referring to himself as Dr. Dre and Clarke as Eminem was indeed humorous. The film also captures how politicians would do anything to rise in power, including selling out their own. When Derringer and Clarke almost lost their lives in a plane crash, and even after that, they faced several ambushes on their way, they never could’ve imagined who the insider was. This act of suspense is golden because it relates to reality in the sense that people today often assume wrongly. Chopra (Noel Bisset in the film) also delivered a fantastic performance in this action thriller. Her role as an M16 agent in Heads of State depicts the true heroic acts of the loyal British agents. She put her life on the line for the Prime Minister and the President several times.
Not the Average Casting
Naishuller directed the production of Heads of States, and he did an amazing job by featuring Elba, Cena, and other brilliant actors in this film. Another interesting film directed by Naishuller is the action thriller Nobody (2021) and Hardcore Henry (2015). Naishuller took his eyes to the market when he selected the cast for Heads of State. Chopra, the winner of Miss World Pageant (2000), played her role perfectly in Heads of States. Chopra represented a strong female action lead; her combat accuracy had an impact on the film’s overall energy. Her beauty and humor in this film would captivate the viewers intensely. Another actor who played his role extraordinarily well in Heads of State is Considine, who was determined to avenge his son’s death.
Gradov’s pursuit of vengeance is the foundation of the film’s action. Blowing up a plane and setting off conflict among countries brought a true-to-life atmosphere to the film’s storyline. The tomatina ambush scene shows how calculated Gradov was in this film; he sets traps that were seemingly real to strategically gain access to something so powerful. His efficiency in murdering his target in cold blood also made the film thrilling.
There are a couple of things that make the Heads of State perfect, but one of them is the movie stars present in it. Elba, Cena, and Chopra brought the film’s storyline to an incredible fruition. Elba’s performance in Heads of State is a mixture of action, dry sense of humor, and emotional depth. Even though they’re both heads of state, Clarke was like a big brother to Derringer because Derringer was more naive. After escaping a near-death experience, Clarke suggested they get rid of their phones for security reasons. Derringer, who was hanging on a tree, opposed and wanted to let his wife know that they were okay. Clarke responded, “NewsFlash: we’re not okay.” The humor in this scene is admirable. Whereas Cena’s performance is a mixture of physicality, humor, and earnest heart. His role in this film has a major impact on why viewers would find it emotionally engaging and hilarious. Cena portrays the role of an inexperienced president who’s willing to step up when duty calls. One scene that viewers would find funny is when Derringer and Clarke are travelling with a flock of sheep, and Derringer must endure something funnily miserable so as not to get caught.
It’s Incredible Cinematography
Heads of State has outstanding cinematography, all thanks to Benjamin Davis. Davis has handled the cinematography of some great movies like The Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Doctor Strange (2016), and Captain Marvel (2019), all of which he delivered excellently. The scene where the airplane was in distress was captured so well that some viewers would be pulled in emotionally. Davis used his skills to make that scene feel like it was shot like that in real life; that’s how authentic it felt. The lighting makes the film visually understandable, and it also supports the film’s narrative. Whenever there’s a facial expression, the viewers can see it and easily decode the meaning. There are no scenes where it’s supposed to be bright, but it’s dark and vice versa; everything was shot meticulously.
Steven Price, the music composer for Heads of State, also did a fantastic job in fixing songs that support the message of its scene. The songs also align with whichever scene they came up in. This is evident in the truck scene where Clarke and Derringer are traveling in a truck full of sheep. Right before the viewers are introduced to that scene, the song “Hang Me Oh Hang Me” by Dave Van Ronk comes on, which perfectly sets the tone and builds the audience’s expectation for something completely ridiculous.
Is ‘Heads of State’ Worth the Watch?
Heads of State is up there with the best action thrillers made so far this year. It ranks above average not just for its realistic storyline and captivating combat scenes, but its hilarious humor. Also, the suspense was moderately crafted, making the audience inaccurately guess what happens next. All thanks to Naishuller for selecting the perfect cast for Heads of State, and the production team for bringing his idea to fruition.
Watch Heads of State on Amazon Prime and Peacock.
Heads of State (2025) Official Prime Video Trailer
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Author
Precious Osagie
Kendra Dennis is a Pennsylvania-based creative and content writer. While her passion lies within the creative realm, Kendra enjoys any time she gets to write. Kendra graduated from American Public University System in June of 2025 with a BA in English. She enjoys writing stories that open up to a larger world where readers can get lost. You can find her daydreaming about her newest stories or reorganizing one of her many bookshelves.