Remember that silly Channing Tatum movie from 2013, White House Down? That’s the exact vibe you get from the Prime Video original G20, starring Oscar winner Viola Davis. The film is set in a world where the US has a Black female president. Very original if you ask me (jk). The story follows an attack at the G20 summit, leaving world leaders (and currency) in massive danger, with only one woman who can save the day. You know what I love about this movie? It gives Danielle Sutton the exact role a Daniel Stutton would’ve had if he were in her place. Yes, this is a cookie-cutter popcorn thriller, yet there is something endearing about watching Viola Davis brutally beat up bad guys in a vermillion dress that looks way too good to fight in.
In the usual Hollywood way, the film disregards the world leaders of all other countries, seeing as the US is the biggest superpower there is and reminding us that only with them can the world function at all. The silliness of this whole thing is how easily the Madam President is able to handle the situation of a group of attackers trying to crash the global economy. But hey, at least we get an Australian agent who deserves at least a little bit of credit for freshness. You’d imagine that for a movie about the US president, the G20 summit, terrorist activity, and the whole shebang, there may not be much else on offer. This is how it seems from the outside, especially when you get to see a ripped Davis carrying her gun and ready to save the world. But, to my surprise, there’s actually some heart in this film. I know! It makes zero sense.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve clearly noticed a pattern of parent-child relationship movies in Hollywood lately. I mean, it’s fantastic that we get to see real life reflected so well on screen, but is this the only way you’re able to connect to people through otherwise AI-generated plots with basic dialogue? I guess I can’t really complain, though, because the thing that makes this movie worth watching isn’t Viola Davis being a badass, but Danielle’s relationship with her daughter, Serena. This is the main point of the film; never mind the crashing global economy or the dead world leaders, because at the end of the day, what we’re really thinking about is, “Can this woman look after her family?”
No, jokes aside though, I did quite enjoy this angle of the film, and it’s always great to see a situation that makes you go, “Like mother, like daughter.” But is it enough to save this film? I’m not really sure. What’s unfortunate is that, despite having the feel of a big-budget action thriller, the film comes across as a TV movie with no real meat on its bones, or should I say not enough tariff on its imports. I’m sorry, I had to try. For a person like me, this doesn’t matter as much as for anyone who actually cares about action, the way it’s shot, the visuals, the lines, angles, etc. If you’re looking for all of that, this film lacks in delivery.
In terms of motivation, while the good peeps are always looking out for their family, I wish there was something deeper to the background of the bad guys rather than just, “You created this monster, now deal with it.” It seems like a personal act of rebellion, but where are the personal bits? I am a little bit confused as to who this film is really aimed at. Is it for action lovers, women who want to see themselves in positions of power, or the “ideal” American who loves a good military show and having the world in the palm of their hands? Because, in my opinion, this film doesn’t really cater to any of those people. Instead, it might be trying too hard to get a little bit of all of them interested.
Somewhere in the movie, Danielle’s son asks two South African soldiers if they’re from Wakanda. To be fair, he thinks they’re hotel staff, but you can get a gist of what the rest of the film feels like based on that. But this isn’t the only Wakanda reference, because, tell me, why are Serena and Shuri basically the same character? Are rebellion and tech-savviness features that go hand in hand, and if so, why didn’t anyone tell me? I think in terms of characters, most feel two-dimensional, the President as well. There’s really no substance here.
At the end of the day, G20 is a poor attempt at making an almost “woke” film. It doesn’t have any actual direction, but it can be watched for the sake of it, without any actual thought. In truth, this film feels like something that would have come out in the 2010s, but it’s modernized by the fact that there’s a female president, who is also Black; there are deepfakes involved; and, of course, the main topic of discussion is crypto. If you’re not really interested in any of those latter words, I’d say don’t waste your time on this movie. But if you’re keen on seeing Viola Davis do another one of her powerful female characters who can not be humbled by anything, then you can give this a watch. But I’d warn you to set your brain aside for the 1 hour 40 minutes of movie-watching time.
I suppose, in a way, G20 is a fantasy (if you know what I mean), but fails to leave a mark in any real way. It’s got some entertaining bits for sure, like using bits of a torn dress to choke a man 4 times your size or wearing matching kicks with your silk party dress, almost as if you know that you’re going to have to go fight big burly men. I’d give G20 2.5 out of 5 stars, mainly because the woman’s fantastic and I quite liked the mother-daughter dynamic.
