Prime Video is investing a lot in action movies and series that have to do with espionage, government agencies, and in the case of G20 and Heads of State — the streaming platform’s latest starring John Cena as Will Derringer, the President of the United States, and Idris Elba as Sam Clarke, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom — turning presidents into action heroes.

Directed by Ilya Naishuller from a screenplay by Josh Applebaum, André Nemec, and Harrison Query, Heads of State is the kind of movie that doesn’t require much from its audience beyond shutting off our brains while simultaneously leaning into political stereotypes. It’s not a particularly good movie, and, at nearly two hours long, the film overstays its welcome. Its saving grace is the decision to ground the film with an enemies-to-friends trope for its leading duo that mostly works in its favor.

Cena’s Will Derringer is new at being the President of the United States. Before he became a politician, he was a beloved action star. Will is the optimist who believes in a better world and the importance of his role in making that happen. Elba’s Sam Clarke is the complete opposite; he’s a cynic who believes things can change, but not by much, and hates the fact that Derringer was never a public servant before becoming president. Sam knows what hard work and struggle really looks like; Will doesn’t.

Heads Of State’s Narrative Is Flat But Is Helped By A Couple Of Twists

The beginning of the film has the same spirit as that of Red, White & Royal Blue, the rom-com that saw the president’s son falling for a British prince. Heads of State isn’t very fluffy, though, and it actually deals with some of the details of politics — namely, NATO and surveillance technology. When Sam and Will find themselves being attacked by Viktor Gradov’s (Paddy Considine) hired guns aboard Air Force One, they’re forced to go off-grid after being presumed ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, helped along the way by Noel Bissett (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), an MI6 agent with a romantic history with Sam.

Gradov is largely a one-note antagonist, though Considine seems to be having fun with the character, even if he doesn’t get all that much to do. Gradov is the easy antagonist the other characters can easily point a finger at and blame, but the twist of something more going on saves his arc from being a long eyeroll. The twists and turns as to who’s really behind the surveillance hack also keep the film’s story from growing completely stale.

At the very least, Heads of State put some effort into its narrative. Stripped down, it’s a tale about revenge and the political machinations that can be employed to manipulate one’s way to more power and isolation. The film almost, but not quite, delves into how espionage shapes other countries, as well as decisions being made without complete intel, but it brushes all that under the rug in favor of a flat, black-and-white morality. Then again, this is a movie where two political leaders become action heroes who must save everyone. The expectation that it’d go beyond that would only lead to disappointment.

John Cena & Idris Elba’s Bickering Characters Keeps The Film Afloat

This is a popcorn movie that would — interestingly enough — play better in theaters, and I’m not sure that watching it on streaming would hold one’s attention for its unnecessarily lengthy runtime. Between all the running around and the never catching a break, though, Sam and Will are there, snapping at each other, arguing about the best way to do things, and the “fish and chips” incident that Will feels embarrᴀssed about and can’t drop. Charm alone might save this movie.

The action isn’t anything to write home about. It’s serviceable, as is the comedy, which doesn’t always land. On the occasion it does, though, Heads of State did make me chuckle. A quick montage featuring what Chopra Jonas’ character has been up to after a mission gone wrong is equal parts bizarre and funny, as is Noel’s use of well-timed puns. Amid tired tropes and mediocre action, the film has a few shining moments, and that’s what keeps it from growing increasingly dull.

Perhaps if the pace wasn’t so quick, we’d have had more time to think about the lackluster plot, contrivances, and even some of the annoying and flat dialogue, but the filmmakers and cast make sure we don’t. Cena and Elba are all-in with their characters. And while their chemistry could have been better, their bickering, although grating at points, mostly works. And that’s really the bread and ʙuттer of the film. Without Cena and Elba’s committed and charming performances, as well as great supporting turns from Considine and Carla Gugino as Vice President Elizabeth Kirk, Heads of State wouldn’t be worth discussing.