HEADS OF STATE (2025)

 

Directed By: Ilya Naishuller 

Written By: Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec and Harrison Query 

Story By: Harrison Query 

Cinematography: Ben Davis 

Editor: Tom Harrison-Read 

Cast: John Cena, Idris Elba, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Paddy Considine , Stephen Root, Carla Gugino, Jack Quaid, Sharlto Copley, Sarah Niles, Richard Coyle 

When the UK Prime Minister and US President become the targets of a foreign adversary, they're forced to rely on one another to thwart a global conspiracy.

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With John Cena in the cast, you already kinda know what this film is going to be good as long as you go in with that frame of mind you’ll be perfectly entertain as at least this time he shares the action with Idris Elba, and it’s not another film where you just watch John Cena be the ultimate action hero who’s unstop Now he has Idris Elba, and together their unstoppable, as well as with their costar Priyanka Chopra Jonas. The alter two instill the film And their characters with a suave charm. 

The villain is pretty disposable other than his ruthlessness and it’s surprising how many recognizable character actors are in this film and relatively small roles but you’re happy to see them.

As the film comes off better than expected and better then it should be. 

Though it’s billed as an action comedy, I didn’t expect it to be as actually funny as it is, which is what differentiates it from most of its elk whereas if it had just been an action film, this really wouldn’t have been that interesting, but with the comedic elements it at least stays fun and rises above the cliché somewhat

It also helps that some of the humor comes from unexpected places than what you can see coming and some are even just stylistic comedic choices though luckily for the film, even though it’s predictable, it still manages to keep you on your toes to see how it’s going to get where it gets to.

As even the action sequences are a bit more memorable and noteworthy than the usual fair of straight to streaming films. The fighting farm scene is one of the more impressive scenes of  film. As well as one of the more impressive action sequences seen recently. 

Plus the henchman, though they don’t have many lines just come across is unlikable and reprehensible, but then again looking at the main villain, you can understand why they are the way they are, though with the villains actions it does make me wonder why anybody would really want to work for other than the obvious money, which is then made me fonder whether he pays them in cash or check and is it on a weekly or biweekly basis or maybe it’s crypto since it has to be more underground and do you work until he gets his payday and that’s when you get your haircut or is he paying you for the work done and then it maybe if it goes through he’ll give you a bonus but then again if he successful, he could just keep the money because what court are you gonna go to even if you have the skills in the guns?

If anything this movie would go great on a double bill with the film WHITE HOUSE DOWN as at least here all the action takes place overseas and on more European streets that are more narrow and cobblestone so it’s not in some random American city where you would expect to see the action so that adds a different element to the proceedings.

Though he has been in many action films before it’s nice to see Idris Elba be more of a bad ass action hero in the film rather than the villain or a sidekick. Though with this film and starring in the film beast, he is proving to be not only an all-around leading man, but also quite a believable action hero lead.

Grade: C+

DEEP COVER (2025)

 

Directed By: Tom Kingsley 

Written By: Derek Connolly, Colin Trevorrow, Ben Ashenden and Alexander Owen

Cinematography: Will Hanke

Editor: Mark Williams 

Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammad, Paddy Considine, Ian McShane, Sean Bean, Sonoya Mizuno, Freya Parker, Ben Ashenden, Alexander Owen 

Three improv actors are asked to go undercover by the police in London's criminal underworld.

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Unfortunately, not a remake or in any way asscisiyed with the Lawrence Fishburne Starring, crime classic film, but rather an wannabe, original action comedy

Is this is a movie that is very random. Whereas it’s randomly cast, and it shouldn’t work, even though it has a high concept, but strangely it does work and even comes off with its own little charm.

I don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing deep about this film. It’s pretty standard, but it stays in the middle of the road enough that it keeps you laughing and caring and even has some impressive action at times

As the film goes along, it tries to stay unpredictable that it fails in that way, though it does base itself on everyone having such deep trust in these characters, even when it’s obvious, they are in over their heads 

Not only is the premise a little bit inventive of having improv actors volunteer to go undercover and kind of getting stuck in their roles as the danger increases, but it also serves as a kind of midlife crisis movie as the characters are all facing dilemmas of where they thought they’d be and where they actually are And aiming to do something different to not only get better, but find some meaning in it all.

The most interesting character is  Shosh played by Sonoya Mizuno, who seems like she’d be a good bodyguard or assassin character in a better film, but also comes across as the coolest character of the whole film. She is always a chameleon in her roles. Never seeming to play the same type twice. 

Bryce Dallas Howard surprises with her performance in the lead as a comedic actress where you wonder why she isn’t in more films such as these as she is clearly strong in the lead role, though it might be as there’s so much competition and she fits into the same looks and frame as so, many Caucasian leading ladies. It’s hard enough to get the roles but also, where do you quite fit 

The film has surprisingly a lot of European acting heavyweights who we have seen play these types of characters before only here a bit more broad, not as intimidating and all clearly hear more for a paycheck than anything else, but they do add to the tapestry and try to add some heaviness and believability to the situations the characters find themselves interacting with them

The only complaint could be that one wishes the film was bigger, but then that would totally go against the reality of it and wish that the romantic sub plot had a bit more to it or a kind of ending to it instead of just being upsurped and left

Grade: C+

SUBMARINE (2010)

 

Directed By: Richard Ayoade Written By: Richard Ayoade & Joe Dunthorne Based on a Novel By: Joe Dunthorne Cinematography: Erik Alexander Wilson  Editor: Chris Dickens & Nick Fenton

Cast: Craig Roberts, Noah Taylor, Sally Hawkins, Paddy Considine, Yasmin Page, Gemma Chan 

THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS (2017)

Directed By: Colm McCarthy 
Written By: Mike Carey (Based on His own Novel) 
Cinematography By: Simon Dennis 
Editor: Matthew Cannings 


Cast: Sennia Nanua, Gemma Arterton, Paddy Considine, Glenn Close, Dominique Tipper, Fasiyo Akinade, Anamaria Marinca, Anthony Welsh 


In a dystopian near future, humanity has been ravaged by a mysterious fungal disease. The afflicted are robbed of all free will and turned into flesh-eating 'hungries'. Humankind's only hope is a small group of hybrid children who crave human flesh but retain the ability to think and feel. The children go to school at an army base in rural Britain, where they're subjected to cruel experiments by Dr. Caroline Caldwell. School teacher Helen Justineau grows particularly close to an exceptional girl named Melanie, thus forming a special bond. But when the base is invaded, the trio escape with the assistance of Sgt. Eddie Parks and embark on a perilous journey of survival, during which Melanie must come to terms with who she is.

TYRANNOSAUR (2011)

Written & Directed By: Paddy Considine
Cinematography By: Erik Alexander Wilson
Editor: Pia Di Ciaula

Cast: Peter Mullan, Olivia Coleman, Eddie Marsan, Archie Lal, Jag Sanghera