Heads of State amuses

Streaming services continue to put big theater quality works on the small screen with Heads of State. Granted, Idris Elba and John Cena miss the same name recognition as a Tom Cruise, but fans of The Suicide Squad know the two handle action well, mixing humor and physical prowess. Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra—India’s highest paid actress—adds cache as a tough field agent, suiting the globetrotting nature of a story about two world leaders hijacked out of their office settings for a road trip that includes hired killers and an assortment of adventure antics. Though not impossible to imagine that U.S. voters might someday elect a pro-wrester/slash movie star as the country’s president, neither the writing team nor director Ilya Naishuller intend for anyone to fully believe the story. Instead, they aim for humor and rapport between the lead performers. It works. Elba and Cena get fun moments, especially when a series of accidental moves take out one set of villains. Meanwhile, Chopra kicks, slams, hits, and shoots with graceful speed, looking beautiful and more than holding her own as an action hero.  That action label means story takes a back seat to lots of chases, explosions, bullets, and stunts that fill screen time with popcorn inducing energy. Along with its likeable stars, Heads of State earns points for two other reasons: one, it’s not a sequel. And two, no cliffhanger heading. That means you don’t have to remember anything from another film and you don’t have to worry about the next movie—just sit back and relax with the popcorn.