Overview
The UK Prime Minister and US President 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, they must find a way to thwart a conspiracy that threatens the free world.
John Cena is Will Derringer, former action movie hero who is now the US President, and polls highly in popularity. Idris Elba is ex Army veteran Sam Clarke, the Prime Minister of the UK, and he is struggling in the popularity stakes. The two men don’t see eye to eye, but during a state visit prior to heading to a NATO summit, they must put on a show of support for each other, which results in the pair heading together in Air Force One for the summit. When the flight is shot down, the pair are assumed dead, and the world security is in jeopardy as the seeds of distrust between the NATO countries is sown by a Russian arms dealer named Victor Grodov (Paddy Considine) who has obtained access to a global surveillance program and the secrets it holds. The President and Prime Minister must make their way through dangerous foreign lands to the summit to prevent the collapse of NATO, forcing them to work together despite their dislike of each other.
Basically, the film takes the bickering buddy cop approach, adds it to world leaders, and places them in peril, whilst in the background a generic spy thriller plays out. But, boy, despite not offering anything particularly new, this is a whole heap of fun.
Cena is always a fun presence on screen, and he gets to lean into his big screen persona wonderfully here as the action-star President. Elba delivers his more grounded approach to roles, whilst deftly handling the comedy moments perfectly. The pair work effortlessly together, impressing in the action and capturing the correct tone for the comedy bickering to not let it descend into absurdity. Around them the support cast do their parts well, with Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Noelle being a welcome addition as she works to locate and protect the pair. But the standout part of the film sees Jack Quaid as Marty, a station officer at a safe house, whose actions to protect the two world leaders resulted in bursts of laughter as one of the most fun action moments of the film plays out.
This is simply just a fun blast from start to finish, playing on the strengths of all involved, and presenting the action in sometimes serious, but occasionally wonderfully crazy ways. Director Ilya Naishuller’s style, which we saw previously in Hardcore Henry and Nobody, works well for this kind of fun action nonsense, and makes for a film that feels just right for streaming entertainment.
Do yourself a favour, pop onto Prime and give this a watch. It’s a blast.
