Heads of State Parent Guide

A few months in office, and US President Will Derringer (John Cena) is riding high in the polls. His domestic support is mirrored internationally: Derringer’s career as an action film star guarantees him a global fan base. It looks like everyone loves Will - with one exception. The British Prime Minister, Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) thinks he’s a “popcorn president” who’s just playing the role, without the ability to do the job.

After the two men squabble at a joint press conference, their aides insist on damage control, which takes the form of Clarke flying with Derringer on Air Force One en route to a NATO meeting in Italy. When the plane is shot out of the sky, the two leaders find themselves on hostile ground in Belarus, desperately searching for safe harbor. There’s just one catch: the rogue Russian arms dealer (Viktor Gradov, played by Paddy Considine) who arranged the destruction of the plane also seized control of Echelon, a top-secret computer program, and is using it to track every form of digital surveillance. If they want to stay alive, Clarke and Derringer will need to stay in the shadows as they make their way to Italy.

Heads of State is exactly what it promises to be – a lightweight comic action thriller. It’s well cast, with Idris Elba and John Cena bringing an engaging “odd couple” vibe to this buddy road pic. The jokes are funny, the action kinetic, and the tension consistent. The comedy might rely a bit too much on national stereotypes (Derringer is a naïve labradoodle and Clarke is a world-weary cynic) but it still elicits some laughs. The action sometimes veers into the absurd, following the current trend of designing increasingly ridiculous and improbable set pieces. At least this film isn’t bloated or pretentious. Director Ilya Naishuller knows the movie is silly, and leans into it with a wink. This is popcorn entertainment, not a psychological study or examination of European geopolitics. Go with the flow, try not to think too hard, and you could have a good time watching this flick.

That said, the film has its flaws. The first one that springs to mind is a weird moment which is shot from the inside of a man’s open mouth after he’s been punched in the face. (Seriously, this is a deeply strange scene.) There are also some glaring plot holes but the bigger issue is with the negative content. Four dozen profanities litter the script, and there are scenes of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. The biggest problem, though, is violence, which pushes right up against the limits of the movie’s PG-13 rating. This film is chock-a-block with violent scenes as people are killed and injured with firearms, rocket launchers, knives, explosives, and in car accidents and plane and helicopter crashes. The injuries are sanitized and dead bodies are rarely seen, which forestalls a Restricted rating, but you’ll need to be prepared for lots and lots of violence if you want to stream this show. However, if you can stomach the violence, and are in the mood for car chases, explosions, and international intrigue, Heads of State could deliver some high-speed entertainment.

About author

Kirsten Hawkes

Kirsten Hawkes has a BA in Political Science and English and has worked in international development and medical education and marketing. Kirsten enjoys reading, watching movies, and debating politics with her husband and sometimes unwilling children.