Heads of State starring John Cena, Idris Elba and Priyanka Chopra Jonas is exactly what it aspires to be: a wacky ride loaded with comedy and action.

The premise of the Ilya Naishuller directorial, streaming on Prime Video, is implausible but fun.

In the movie, Will Derringer (Cena) is a Hollywood action star-turned-President of the United States. Rings a bell? This is clearly a nod to Arnold Schwarzenegger who became the Governor of California, even if he didn’t vie for the White House.

Opposite him is Elba’s Sam Clarke, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, a former Special Air Service (SAS) officer who, despite his military background, has never been in active combat.

When a Russian super-villain (Paddy Considine) engineers an attack that downs Air Force One, the two leaders find themselves stranded in hostile territory in Eastern Europe. And for their escape plan to materialise, they need the help of MI6 agent Noel Bisset (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), who also happens to be Sam’s old flame.

What follows is a globe-trotting adventure where geopolitics takes a backseat to gags and gunfights. Naishuller stages action sequences with manic energy. A standout sequence is set during La Tomatina, Spain’s annual tomato-throwing festival, where a street brawl turns into a mess of squished tomatoes and spilled blood.

The heart of the film, however, lies in the camaraderie between Cena and Elba. Cena’s deadpan comic timing, and his knack for self-deprecating humour are a perfect match for Elba’s world-weary sarcasm.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas, in probably her best Hollywood outing, holds her own against the two male leads. She is not just a token female character. Noel is as capable in a fight as she is with a comeback line. And Priyanka is also part of some of the film’s most kinetic fight scenes.

There are some memorable cameos as well. Stephen Root, as a hacker, adds dry humour in his limited screen time, while Jack Quaid steals a few scenes as a safe house operator. Paddy Considine, as the villain, manages to inject some gravitas into his role that largely requires him to glower.

The film’s biggest flaw is its predictability. The script, penned by Josh Applebaum, André Nemec, and Harrison Query, occasionally struggles to balance its shifts in tone, especially when moving from slapstick comedy to action. Yet, the sheer charisma of the cast keeps the momentum going.