G20
High-octane and family-centric, Viola Davis’s latest romp sees her as the President of the United States in G20. As extremely important figures gather in Cape Town for the G20 summit, terrorists take over in a bid to cash out on digital finance. Meanwhile, Danielle Sutton, still in a battle to assert her position as the elected leader of the free world, is separated from her family. Desperate to reunite with them and ensure their safety, she uses her military experience to sneak past the terrorists and save a couple of other world leaders. The feature aims to touch on feminism and the extreme dangers of rapidly evolving technology.
Where it excels is in the presentation of combat and exploration of its various relationship dynamics. This is evident in the connection between Secret Service Agent Manny Ruiz and the president. Ramón Rodríguez and Davis have fantastic on-screen chemistry. Both characters have military backgrounds and are close friends; combat and strategic planning is their shorthand. They understand each other intellectually and physically, and it’s exciting to see their teamwork throughout the fighting sequences.
The mental warfare is ramped up by the stellar performance of Antony Starr as Rutledge. The conflict he creates within the viewer is polarising; he makes valid points regarding governmental control through technology, but there’s hypocrisy in his call for people to invest in crypto and his use of AI to manipulate the masses. Starr’s cruelty and primal disdain for Danielle matches well with the intensity of Davis’s performance.
Another intriguing focus is the mother and daughter bond between Danielle and Serena. Initially strained with Serena’s frustration over the restrictions her mother’s role imposes on her, she gradually begins to understand how much Danielle has sacrificed for the family. Aside from Douglas Hodge’s Oliver Everett, the in-universe British Prime Minister, whose storyline revolves around growing out of his hatred for women, Marsai Martin’s Serena is one of the few characters with actual development throughout the film.
G20 sparks commentary on the underestimation of women in power as well as fear of the accelerating growth of technology. But the execution of these points is overall lacklustre. As likeable as Davis is, Danielle’s characterisation doesn’t leave much room for growth. She’s Mary Sue-like and one-dimensional, with the film superficially fixating on her identity as a woman president. Thus, despite Davis’s exhilarating performance, the character itself is tiring to root for. There’s no interesting arc to follow, undercutting the picture’s feminist themes.
Furthermore, the script is riddled with plot-conveniences to help Danielle along the way, which means her successes aren’t within her merits but through the narrative’s efforts to constantly serve her. This is most obvious in the film’s inability to commit to severe consequences for the protagonists, regardless of the irresponsible and irrational decisions they make. Somehow, everything works out for them in the end, pacifying the thrill due to the lack of stakes.
This latest Prime Video release is enough to satiate those looking for a quick and easy watch. There are some flashy and unique action scenes, and the intricate links between the characters are enjoyable to follow. But G20 overall lacks depth, with the main character having no significant development, wasting the themes of the feature.
Mae Trumata
G20 is released on Prime Video on 10th April 2025.
Watch the trailer for G20 here:
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