Is This ’90s Charm’ or Just a Relic? 🙄
Alright, Cinesist is here, armed with caffiene and a healthy dose of skepticism, because Amazon MGM Studios just dropped the final trailer for Heads of State before the movie hits theaters. And let’s be real, when a press release promises “chaos, combat, and charisma,” our cynical Spidey-sense starts tingling. Especially when it’s trying to resurrect the “golden era of buddy action comedies” from the ’90s.
The Plot: Because Saving the World is Always Original
So, the premise? John Cena plays the U.S. President (because, of course) and Idris Elba is the UK Prime Minister. They’re rivals, naturally, but forced to team up against a “ruthless foreign adversary” threatening the “entire free world.” Sound familiar? It should. It’s basically every other action movie plot, just with more suits and less actual diplomacy. Apparently, their security forces are useless, so it’s up to these two to begrudgingly save us all. And here we thought real-world politics was the only thing giving us headaches. 🤦♀️
The Reunion: Cena & Elba – From Trying to Kill Each Other to… Not?
The press release helpfully reminds us that John Cena and Idris Elba are reuniting after The Suicide Squad. You know, that movie where they were, uh, not friends. Now, they’re supposed to put aside their “not-so-friendly and very public rivalry.” We’re promised they’re “not trying to kill each other… probably.” That “probably” is doing a lot of heavy lifting, isn’t it? Honestly, we’re half-hoping they do try to kill each other, because that would at least be more entertaining than another “global conspiracy.” 🔪
The Director: Ilya Naishuller – A Man of… Choices
Helming this potential masterpiece is Ilya Naishuller. For those keeping score at home, he gave us Hardcore Henry (a film that literally made us nauseous) and Nobody (which was surprisingly decent, we’ll admit it). So, which Naishuller are we getting here? The one who makes you question your life choices, or the one who delivers genuinely fun, brutal action? Our bets are on a chaotic mix, because, you know, balance. 😵💫
The “90s Charm”: Is It Nostalgia or Just Old?
The press release is really pushing this “heavy dose of nostalgia fit with all of the 90s charm of the golden era of buddy action comedies.” Look, we love the ’90s as much as the next cynical critic, but “charm” usually comes from genuine chemistry and clever writing, not just a marketing tagline. Is this going to be Lethal Weapon or Wild Wild West? Our money’s on the latter, but we’ll gladly eat our words if it’s actually good. (Don’t hold your breath.) 🍿
The All-Star Ensemble: Because More Stars Mean More Good, Right?
Beyond Elba and Cena, the film boasts a cast including Priyanka Chopra Jonas (as a “brilliant MI6 agent,” because of course she is), Carla Gugino, Stephen Root, and even Jack Quaid. Jack Quaid! From The Boys and his latest movie Novocaine! (Looks up at you, have you checked out out review for Novocaine? Go ahead click the linky and see how we feel!) So, at least someone in this movie knows how to handle actual chaos and sharp comedic banter. Maybe he can teach Cena and Elba a thing or two about real rivalry. Just saying.
Cinesist’s Verdict (Pre-Watch):
Heads of State looks like it’s trying to be the next big action-comedy, but we’ve seen this song and dance before. It’s got big names, a director who’s a bit of a wildcard, and a plot that’s been done to death. Will it surprise us? Maybe. Will it give us plenty to snark about? Absolutely. Mark your calendars for July 2, 2025, if you dare. We’ll be there, popcorn in hand, ready to judge.
The UK Prime Minister (Idris Elba) and US President (John Cena) have a public rivalry that risks their countries’ alliance. But when they become targets of a powerful enemy, they’re forced to rely on each other as they go on a wild, multinational run. Allied with Noel, a brilliant MI6 agent (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), they must find a way to thwart a conspiracy that threatens the free world.
Amazon MGM Studio
