Heads of State features Idris Elba and John Cena as political leaders who must navigate their fraught relationship while a vengeful arms dealer pursues them. Their situation worsens dramatically after a failed public event and the shooting down of Air Force One, leading to a survival showdown with henchmen from a dangerous enemy. The film leverages humor amid serious stakes, highlighting issues in international relations and personal rivalries between leaders.
Boualem Sansal, a Franco-Algerian author, has faced a five-year prison sentence upheld by a court, igniting concerns over freedom of expression in Algeria and straining relations with France.
"Those of us who still cling to a belief that the actions of democratic countries should be driven by adherence to and promotion of fundamental humanitarian principles have looked on in despair at the impotence of world leaders, which has at times verged on complicity in Israel's and the US's actions."