Star power unleashed: 'Heads of State' blends action and comedy for a hilarious ride

Some of the biggest Hollywood stars from different backgrounds have come together for “Heads of State”, an action comedy which highlights the value of leaning into commonalities.

The Amazon Prime Video movie has been receiving rave reviews since its release earlier this month, and for good reason.

Its star power includes three heavyweights. Award-winning English actor Idris Elba is one of the leading men, and his over three decades of experience shine through as he portrays the role of UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke. 

Starring alongside him is John Cena, who broke into the industry following a successful stint as a WWE wrestler. His charismatic charm enhances the appeal of his character, Will Derringer, a former action movie star who now occupies the highest office.

Joining this dynamic duo is Priyanka Chopra, who started her career in Bollywood after winning Miss World 2000. In the movie, she stars as senior agent Noel Bisset, and with similar roles like in “Quantico”, where she plays an FBI agent in training, Chopra thrives as an action star.

And as “Heads of State” continues to rank amongst the Most Watched Films on the platform, including in South Africa, it does a captivating job of satirically commenting on topical world issues such as terrorism, diplomatic relations and data breaches.

The movie opens with a joint team of MI6 agents and CIA officers, led by Bisset, at the La Tomatina festival area in Spain, where they are tracking Russian arms dealer Viktor Gradov. 

But the criminal mastermind outsmarts them, killing the team and seizing control of a link to a global surveillance program.

As their bodies lay in a tomato-infested rot, the UK Prime Minister receives a state visit from the newly elected Derringer. 

The mutual disdain between the statesmen is palpable. Clarke is not impressed with Derringer’s obsession with his celebrity status and his lack of political credentials.

The US president thinks that the UK Prime Minister is no fun and is still offended that he openly endorsed his running mate in broad daylight in London for all to see over a plate of fish and chips.

With the massacre in Spain dominating the headlines,the pair board Air Force One together, aiming to present a united front to the world at the upcoming NATO summit in Italy.

But as their bickering intensifies on the flight, the aircraft is shot down by Gradov's terrorists.

With the world in mourning as they are presumed dead, Clarke and Derringer miraculously survive by using parachutes. But they are stranded in Belarus and realising that someone in their inner circles has betrayed them and worked with Gradov for the attack, they are forced to step out of their comfort zones and rely on each other in order to prevent further attacks.

The movie’s sharp but sometimes silly comedy then gets things going as the men hitch a ride to Poland with a friendly Belarusian woman. She comes to their rescue after they were struggling to fight off a gang of comical characters.

Meanwhile, Gradov is enraged when he realises that they are alive and orders his team to track them down and murder them.

With their life in threat and barely no allies or resources at their disposal, Clarke and Derringer are thrilled when they discover that Agent Bisset is alive.

This trio now only have each other as they wage a three-person war on terrorism.

Apart from its famous faces, another appealing aspect of “Heads of State” is how females are represented in powerful positions, from world leaders to Chopra's character as the hero.

At its core, “Heads of State” has everything action fans could ask for - explosions, car chases, shoot-outs and epic fight scenes. But these elements are elevated by the movie’s punchy and intelligent humour, although I did enjoy the slightly immature infusions of comedy in the movie too.

Its reflection of crucial societal themes such as terrorism, diplomatic relations, social media and security breaches in this humorous way has resonated with viewers far and wide.

“Heads of State” also highlights the power of friendships and the value of partnerships with mutual respect.

* I rate it a 4 out of 5 stars.