In a world where Hollywood is, thankfully, quicker than reality to conceive women in the highest office, political action thrillers like Prime Video’s G20 remind us why these kinds of blockbuster flicks still intrigue us. Following action staples like Air Force One and Olympus Has Fallen that tap into our love of last-minute heroics and sharp one-liners, G20 puts a twist on the genre, casting Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis as the battle-tested President of the United States who uses not just her wits but badass combat skills to take on a mercenary siege at a global summit. Though the Patricia Riggen-directed film doesn’t always meet the potential of its ambitious premise, it thrives on Davis’ immaculate skill at commanding an audience to deliver a popcorn-worthy spectacle that’s hard to resist, even when its plot wobbles.
What Is ‘G20’ About?
At first glance, G20 appears to be just another straightforward political thriller where heavily armed mercenaries take the world’s most powerful leaders hostage during an economic summit in beautiful South Africa. With a mission to manipulate global markets using deepfakes and crypto, G20 is as high-octane and action-packed as you would imagine. Yet beneath the bullets, hand-to-hand combat, and quick-witted banter that aligns itself with the humor of Die Hard is a much deeper story — or at least it tries to be, when it covers the ups and downs of motherhood and the sacrifices that come with being a world leader.
With the film attempting to root itself into this relatability, G20 follows President Danielle Sutton (Davis) as she prepares for the titular meeting in Cape Town to unveil her plan for economic stability in the developing world. But like all moms around the world, her biggest struggle is raising her sharp and free-spirited teenage daughter Serena (Marsai Martin), who outsmarts the Secret Service every chance she gets. Frustrated and concerned about Serena’s behavior, she decides to bring her family, including husband Derek (Anthony Anderson), young son Demetrius (Christopher Farrar), and the U.S. Treasury Secretary (Elizabeth Marvel), to the summit under tight supervision. But during the opening night, chaos ensues when a G.I. Joe-styled baddie named Rutledge (Antony Starr) and his group of attackers take the attendees hostage. Recognizing the threat alongside her trusted agent, Manny Ruiz (Ramón Rodríguez), Sutton is determined to fight back and slips away with a motley crew of world leaders.
‘G20’ Underserves Its Story With Simple Writing
What quickly emerges from the chaos is a hybrid of genres that entails part rescue mission, part family drama, and part geopolitical survival thriller that almost feels like a Disney film on steroids. There’s no denying that the concept for G20 has the makings of a high-stakes nail-biter, but the film feels surprisingly safe with its direction from start to finish. For a popcorn flick with an R rating, it’s not exactly as gruesome or Die Hard-y as you’d think, either. There are some bold swings thanks to some amazing stuntwork and choreographed fight scenes (like Davis beating up bad guys in an elevator — don’t worry, it’s not like Captain America), but so much of the movie’s action is swift and leans more toward aspirational than brutal. While G20 pays homage to our favorite big-budget action thrillers, the film often lacks the balance it needs with steady writing. This is no way to speak to pacing, which works fine and delivers the promise of action in every scene, but it is a little jarring when only Davis’ character feels developed.
Despite some funny one-liners and high-concept action sequences that make the film feel theatrical, G20 is largely straightforward. The dialogue is either too clunky or too thin, with key characters beyond Sutton feeling underwritten. Sure, the story is meant to focus on her family, but the film glosses over any opportunities for complexity or political nuance with its international ensemble (including the likes of Sabrina Impacciatore and Douglas Hodge), especially when pitting her against someone like Starr. As the film’s central villain, he is tragically designed to the point of being a stereotypical bad guy with a great haircut and killer smile. Because of that, it’s a disservice to an actor who has played the villain role immaculately in The Boys for nearly five seasons. Rutledge’s backstory is only assumed through dialogue delivered by Sutton, who has miraculously figured him out thanks to her own military experience. But like the close-knit writing we get between her family and the friendship she has built with Manny, we don’t get much more, especially when Starr’s striking physical presence and capacity for menace could’ve added more texture to the film’s tension.
Related
President Viola Davis Becomes a Weapon of Mass Destruction in First ‘G20’ Trailer
The Oscar winner squares off against ‘The Boys’ star Antony Starr in Prime Video’s new thriller.
Similarly, Clark Gregg is cast as the Vice President — a role brimming with potential, but the film barely gives him more than a few passing moments. For a beloved actor of his caliber and natural gravitas, it’s a baffling oversight that he isn’t doing more than reacting from a command center. While the film does away with its old-school terrorism stereotypes that often marginalize one community, G20 manages to fall into a tired trope that undercuts the film’s more progressive instincts. Rather than exploring the conflict any further, the film simplifies the dynamic to pure betrayal, which, sadly, cheapens the conflict and makes the final act feel more formulaic than revelatory.
‘G20’ Gets Away With Its Weaker Spots Thanks to Viola Davis
While G20 might be a bit weak in its foundational story, the casting, especially with Davis in full command, does a great deal of heavy lifting. The EGOT-winner brings a nuanced weight and credibility to Sutton, grounding even the most improbable moments with magnetic presence. Her no-nonsense intensity, whether as a world leader or parent, gives the film a layer of emotional authority. But the film’s biggest highlight is her scenes with Starr, who plays the calculating mercenary mastermind. They are among the most electric in the film, which begs the question of why there weren’t more one-on-one moments between them. With a chemistry that lends to the film’s edge and tone most entertainingly, these two command the screen in a way that feels both unpredictable and earned.
That striking energy from Davis is also met with the solid rapport she has on-screen with Rodríguez, whose role as a loyal Secret Service agent becomes a subtle but satisfying emotional anchor. It was one of the parts of the film that yours truly really felt invested in. While his screen time is limited compared to the main players, he makes it count with a subtle charm and quiet intensity. There’s a sweetness to his protective presence that almost gives off Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard vibes — minus the romance. That said, not every relationship lands in the film. Surprisingly, Anderson brings warmth and levity to his scenes as Sutton’s partner, but the chemistry between the two never quite sells the idea that they’re a couple, no less one under pressure from terroristic threats. Still, the film gets an emotional boost from his black-ish co-star, Martin, who gives a strong performance as the First Daughter and plays the angsty teenager all too well with just enough vulnerability and steel to avoid cliché.
As a film that delivers thrills and high-octane energy, G20 does it all right. But it doesn’t break new ground in terms of storytelling. Instead, Davis and her cast deserve more of a story that balances its delivery of that high-stakes escapism with the intensity that makes political action thrillers such a guilty pleasure. With the film leaning heavily on Davis’ star power, watching her command the screen as a fierce, capable POTUS is a reminder of why we love seeing women in roles of power. But women are only as strong as the stories they’re given — and in G20, the framework doesn’t quite match the strength of its lead, especially in a genre long dominated by men. While G20 doesn’t always rise to meet Davis at her level, it’s a performance that elevates even the weakest beats, giving audiences a satisfying, if uneven, ride.
G20 comes to Prime Video on April 10.
Viola Davis keeps G20 watchable with pure star power — period.
- Release Date
-
April 10, 2025
- Director
-
Patricia Riggen
- Writers
-
Noah Miller, Logan Miller, Caitlin Parrish, Erica Weiss
- Producers
-
Andrew Lazar, Julius Tennon
- Viola Davis is a commanding force as POTUS.
- Slick, fast-paced action sequences deliver thrills.
- Antony Starr adds intensity as the villain, even if we needed a backstory from him.
- The writing is surface-level and doesn?t match the ambition of its high-stakes premise.
- Supporting characters, especially the First Gentleman, feel thinly written and lack believable chemistry.
