‘G20’ Review: Viola Davis Does Her Swaggering Part as a President Under Duress in Silly but Serviceable Prime Video Popcorn Thriller

by

As a gamer immersed in the action-packed world of G20, I find myself stepping into the shoes of the esteemed Viola Davis, an exceptional action hero tasked with averting a global disaster. In this role, I embody Danielle Sutton, a resilient veteran, mother of two, and the President of the United States. Upon my introduction to this character, I’m caught in a tense standoff with my 17-year-old daughter Serena (Marsai Martin), who had defied my wishes by slipping out for a late-night party at a Georgetown bar.

The fact that Serena tricked her Secret Service agents and appeared on late-night news shows is troubling for Sutton, who is striving to uphold a spotless and low-key image as the first Black female president of North America. In this sense, G20, a film directed by Patricia Riggen and available from April 10 on Prime Video, seems outdated in light of when Vice President Kamala Harris’ ascension to the Oval Office appeared imminent. The movie intertwines the societal and political pressures faced by a Black woman rising to the highest office with a tumultuous narrative about how she eventually gets drawn into a major international crisis.

Working from a script penned by Caitlin Parrish, Erica Weiss, Logan Miller, and Noah Miller, Riggen grapples with maintaining the correct tone for each storyline, leading to a movie that initially lacks pace. However, as the main characters and antagonists are introduced, and any necessary preliminary exposition is dealt with, G20 settles into its rhythm, becoming an enjoyable action film filled with popcorn-worthy moments.

In discussions about the G20 movie, Davis has expressed that she took on the role because she wanted to star in a popular production. Although the film tackles serious topics, its success heavily relies on Davis’ convincing portrayal of the action hero, typically played by white male actors. Essentially, this movie can be seen as her equivalent of Air Force One. (It’s worth noting that Davis isn’t new to this genre; she led an army of female warriors in precolonial West Africa in Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King.) Despite the wish for a less sentimental and more coherent script, G20 delivers where it counts. The stunts (choreographed by Grant Powell) are creative and graceful, and the film boasts a collection of supporting characters that are worth cheering for.

Following a journalist’s doubt about Sutton’s capacity to safeguard the nation when she struggles with her own child, the president opts to bring along her entire family – husband Derek (Anthony Anderson), daughter Serena and son Demetrius (Christopher Farrar) – to the G20 summit in Cape Town, South Africa. The entourage includes the president’s friend and long-standing security officer Agent Manny Ruiz (Ramón Rodríguez) and U.S. Treasury Secretary Joanna Worth (Elizabeth Marvel).

2021’s conference holds great importance for Sutton, as she aims to gather support from various countries to provide micro-loans to African farmers – an initiative she believes could significantly contribute to eradicating global hunger. However, there are many skeptics, such as British Prime Minister Oliver Everett (played by Douglas Hodge), and influential figures like Elena Romano (Sabrina Impacciatore from ‘The White Lotus’ season two) who is now the head of the IMF, whom she must persuade.

In a relatively low-key manner, the world’s most influential figures assemble in Cape Town, however, the atmosphere shifts dramatically when these heads of state are taken hostage within the hotel’s conference room by a renegade faction, spearheaded by Rutledge – a former US military officer. This group aims to manipulate the stock market by shorting it. They can be likened to modern-day crypto enthusiasts with a touch of anarchist ideology, using advanced technologies such as AI and deep fakes to propagate the adoption of bitcoin currency worldwide. Their ultimate goal is to inspire global revolt against inept leadership, claiming that people are being manipulated into funding endless wars unknowingly. While Rutledge raises some valid concerns, his actions are marred by an unquenchable thirst for wealth.

Initially, when chaos erupted – with Rutledge and his international squad of hired guns successfully breaking through the hotel’s top-tier security system and infiltrating its CCTV network – Sutton and Manny were able to flee from the conference room. Subsequently, Oliver, Elena, and Han Min-Seo (notably played by Meewha Alana Lee, South Korea’s first lady) also made their escape. Meanwhile, elsewhere within the hotel, Serena, Demetrius, and Derek skillfully evaded their armed abductors and found a means to break free.

As a gamer, I found myself immersed in a cinematic experience set within a single hotel over one intense night. The movie’s close-knit setting was a strategic move, helping it maintain balance amidst its complex plot twists that sometimes threatened to overshadow each other. Initially, my character, Sutton, sought an exit from the hotel, but it quickly became evident that she was the mercenaries’ target due to her role as the U.S. president. Their scheme to disrupt the global market required her presence, and to lure her back to the conference room, Rutledge began eliminating her colleagues. This unexpected turn of events elevated the movie’s tension, transforming a simple escape narrative into an exhilarating game of cat and mouse. Now, Sutton must shift gears from seeking freedom to saving her fellow leaders, her family, and the world itself.

Davis handles her task with a convincing charm, clearly enjoying herself as she delivers roundhouse kicks to villains, brandishing a gun all while in an evening gown. The actress wholeheartedly takes on even the most absurd aspects of the plot, which makes it simpler for viewers to overlook the over-the-top visual effects and predictable scenes. Essentially, G20 is a movie that caters to fans of the actress and audiences prepared for a dose of mindless mayhem.

Read More

2025-04-09 18:54