‘G20’ Review: Viola Davis Emerges Unscathed From a Preposterous President-as-Action-Hero Movie

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Title Role Expansions for Viola Davis: From “The Woman King” to Potential Presidential Characters, demonstrate an actress who truly embodies the essence of a leading lady, regardless of skepticism from viewers. The internet has expressed a collective raised brow at the concept of Davis in the 90’s-style action series “G20,” but there isn’t an actor on this planet who could convincingly portray a U.S. president powerful enough to cause a worldwide economic crisis without some backlash… since no real-life U.S. president could withstand the chaos of a G20 summit-disrupting psychopath intent on collapsing the global economy. (Feel free to insert your own trade war joke here.)

As a film enthusiast, I must admit, Davis truly embodies the character Danielle Sutton, a woman who, much like the other recent election candidate, combines her military background with a strong sense of protecting the underdog. She stands as an excellent counterpart to the cold-hearted Rutledge, portrayed by Antony Starr. Just imagine comparing her to any other relentless adversary.

Rutledge, in his devious plot, seeks to transform $70 million in cryptocurrency into a fortune several hundred times larger. He aims to do this by manipulating the Cape Town conference and exposing corruption within the world’s leading currencies. This audacious plan hinges on compelling all attending world leaders to recite a specific phrase on camera, which these terrorists can then use for deepfakes. They intend to release compromising footage of these leaders to the media, tarnishing their reputations and causing chaos worldwide.

However, Sutton manages to escape, accompanied by her trusted bodyguard Manny (Ramón Rodríguez), the British prime minister (Douglas Hodge), the South Korean first lady (MeeWha Alana Lee), and the leader of the IMF (Sabrina Impacciatore). Now it falls upon this group, consisting of Derek Sutton (played by Anthony Anderson in a more serious role), his children, Serena (Marsai Martin) and Demetrius (Christopher Farrar), to outwit and overpower numerous tough mercenaries.

In the end, Sutton slips away, joined by her head bodyguard Manny (Ramón Rodríguez), the British prime minister (Douglas Hodge), the South Korean first lady (MeeWha Alana Lee), and the IMF’s chief (Sabrina Impacciatore). This quintet, including Derek Sutton (portrayed by Anthony Anderson in a serious manner) and their offspring, Serena (Marsai Martin) and Demetrius (Christopher Farrar), must outmaneuver and overpower dozens of large mercenaries.

The initial action sequence, situated in Budapest, might give viewers the impression that filmmaker Patricia Riggen may struggle with the task at hand. Her scenes appear reminiscent of average TV productions, complete with unconvincing lighting effects and generic establishing shots, a style often lampooned by “Team America: World Police.” The art of action seems to elude the director of “Under the Same Moon,” despite the fact that the script itself presents significant challenges in “G20,” a film whose title, ironically, encapsulates both its ambitious premise and disappointingly low intellectual depth.

Almost every line of dialogue consists of short sentence fragments, often no more than six words each (with some as brief as one word). Four writers collaborated to tackle this task, but the end result maintains a tone that seems satirical, reminiscent of an “SNL” spoof. When one character expresses discomfort about sprinting through the G20 complex in heels, Sutton dismisses the notion by stating she “voted against it,” and then flaunts her vibrant red running shoes, concealed yet coordinating with her long silky dress.

Compared to action movie outfits, it’s the most adaptable costume since Jamie Lee Curtis’ iconic little black dress in “True Lies.” Sadly, if only this movie had even a fraction of its humor or grandeur. The plot appears to have been inspired by films such as “Air Force One” and “White House Down,” including the dramatic finale shot of Davis clinging to a helicopter – except in this case, the president is not merely safeguarding her own life. Meanwhile, her vice-president (Clark Gregg) watches from a distance in shock, while Sutton carries the hopes of all America’s allies on her shoulders… and her American identity seems to be her most valuable asset.

Essentially, this military-themed, patriotic story appears tailored for those least inclined to vote for someone like Sutton – the action-oriented individuals who previously admired figures such as Stallone and Schwarzenegger. However, once the president wields a weapon in the film, there’s no turning back. Here, it seems that Sutton is following Theodore Roosevelt’s advice, “Speak softly and carry a big stick,” by gunning down enemies with a machine gun in the movie.

Davis deserves recognition for mastering the use of such gear, as she appears just as authentic as an Expendable: swiftly taking out several adversaries in rapid succession while spinning in the shadows. The film doesn’t aim for realism or any semblance of plausibility, given its lowbrow nature. However, it would have been refreshing if the dialogue were a bit more impactful (“Get off my plane!”). Despite being screened for critics on the big screen, the movie was primarily produced for Prime Video and isn’t mastered beyond television standards, where budget-friendly special effects (such as the CG fireball that overturns the presidential limo) are common.

The pace intensifies during the final 30 minutes as Rutledge approaches the first family. It seems unnecessary for “G20” to involve Sutton’s daughter as much as it does, especially since it brings about an unwanted element of child risk (akin to how Bond became a caretaker in “No Time to Die”), along with some slapstick scenes reminiscent of “Home Alone”. Riggen may have believed that viewers required a motivation to empathize with Sutton’s character, but Davis is more than capable of doing that on her own.

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2025-04-09 17:17