Heads of State

The second movie this year in which the U.S. president and the British prime minster team up to ward off terrorists after a massive security breach, Heads of State is not a spinoff or sequel to G20, but it’s only a rewrite or two away.

Offering only the slightest twist on genre tropes, at least this brawny thriller from director Ilya Naishuller (Nobody) doesn’t take itself too seriously. But the star power, scattered laughs, and solid action don’t amount to much in the end.

The film depicts a fanciful — and aspirational — government climate in which any contemporary American president is both universally popular and perpetually idealistic. In this case, Will Derringer (John Cena) is a former big-screen action hero whose celebrity propelled him into office.

Other world leaders are skeptical of his credentials, most notably British counterpart Sam Clarke (Idris Elba), which is evident as the two gather for a joint press conference prior to a NATO summit in Italy. “Unlike you, I’ll take results over likes on Instagram,” retorts Clarke, a career statesman with a prickly demeanor.

Later, the two share a flight to Poland aboard Air Force One when the plane is attacked by weapons-dealing assassins, leaving both men stranded in Belarus and presumed dead. While their countries are in mourning and the American vice president (Carla Gugino) is sworn in, Derringer and Clarke must find common ground while seeking safety.

Along the way, they locate a British intelligence agent (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) whose history with Clarke might provide a key to their escape as the world teeters on the brink of geopolitical collapse.

The adversarial chemistry of Cena and Elba drives the film’s comic energy, although the central plot is woefully formulaic with generic villains and contrived stakes.

The screenplay struggles to find a consistent tone while tossing elements of buddy comedy, political satire, and earnest melodrama promoting bureaucratic cooperation and world peace into its narrative blender.

Highlights among the creatively staged set pieces include an airborne showdown and a frantic sequence with Clarke behind the wheel of the presidential limo while Derringer combats an evil henchman in the back.

At any rate, considering the gravity of the subject matter, Heads of State generates only minimal tension or intrigue while emphasizing spectacle over substance.

Rated PG-13, 114 minutes.