"Heads of State:" Another Unsuccessful Amazon Campaign

For the past decade of so, Amazon Prime Studios has been no stranger to making films. Their streaming service not only boasts hundreds of existing titles, but also exclusive original content for the enjoyment of their millions of subscribers. Now, while a decent portion of these projects have been pretty good, far too many of them fall into the trap of mediocrity, feeling undeniably corporate and soulless. The latest addition to the ladder category is Amazon's brand new action film, Heads of State, starring John Cena, Idris Elba, and Priyanka Chopra.

Heads of State is a political action film starring John Cena as the President of the United States, Will Derringer and Idris Elba as the Prime Minister of the UK, Sam Clarke. One, a lifelong public servant, and the other a former movie star turned politician, unsurprisingly the two don't see eye-to-eye. Ahead of a major meeting at NATO, the two leaders' bickering on Air Force One is interrupted by hijackers who end up crashing the plane in the middle of nowhere in Eastern Europe. Together, the two must overcome their differences and trek across the continent to reach Warsaw and keep NATO from falling apart.

Amazon is one of the wealthiest companies in history, so it's no surprise that they have the funds to make big-budget action films like Heads of State once in a while. One positive aspect about the film is that the action sequences look good, clearly a lot of funds were spent on hiring a good VFX team, and the two leads are experienced in stage combat so the fight scenes are perfectly decent. Unfortunately "decent" is probably the highest praise I can give this movie. It's taken me a while to realize that I'm just never going to be into action movies the same way I am into other genres, but I have still learned to appreciate the filmmaking aspect of these projects.

Heads of State feels incredibly similar to Amazon's other action project, Deep Cover, which was released last month. Both are passable films with proficient casts, but despite their strengths they both can't help but feel...soulless. They're the kind of movies that don't stick with you or leave a lasting impression, and that's exactly what I look for in a "good" movie. I guess that's just what happens when a billion dollar corporation starts making films.

Just by a cursory look at the cast and poster of Heads of State, it's abundantly clear what the filmmakers were trying to achieve. They're trying to replicate the magic of 2021's The Suicide Squad, a film where John Cena and Idris Elba also starred as opposite action heroes, constantly bickering with each other and throwing comedic jabs. However, The Suicide Squad had the benefit of being directed by gigantic nerd, James Gunn who cares about the material, and Heads of State feels like it was entirely crafted by a boardroom of suits. Proving that Amazon may have all the money in the world, but money can only take a film so far.

The second half of 2025 will see the releases of some of the year's most highly anticipated films, especially as the summer midpoint approaches. With that in mind, don't lose any sleep about missing out on Heads of State, much better films are on the horizon...at least I hope so...