LOS ANGELES— EGOT Actress Viola Davis delivers a presidential performance. The incredibly poised actress is responsible for saving the world and its leaders from an egotistical, warped Australian crypto terrorist in the edge-gripping drama G20, available now on Prime Video.
After an escape by her tech-savvy teenage daughter, Serena (Marsai Martin) gets discovered by President Danielle Sutton’s (Viola Davis) Secret Service team. This would end up being the least of her worries in the film. The entire presidential family includes her husband Derek (Anthony Anderson) and son Demetrius (Christopher Farrar), who are flying into South Africa and arriving for the highly anticipated G20 Summit.
The action intensifies when a group of military-style terrorists led by Rutledge (Antony Starr) infiltrates and surrounds the hotel property where the world’s leaders are convening, including President Sutton.
After the military terrorist enters the room, Sutton and her trusted Secret Service agent Manny Ruiz (Ramon Rodriguez) manage to secure an escape route for the President and a few diplomats attending the event.
Rutledge is just as ruthless as he appears in his stature. He forces each diplomat of every country attending the summit to read a letter into a camera to AI their voice so that his crew can edit up and decimate into the world what he wants them to say. The South Korean diplomat refused to abide by Rutledge’s demands and lost an ear at the hands of Rutledge’s knife.
The group of Sutton, Ruiz, an elderly South Korean first lady (MeeWha Alana Lee), the annoying and at times fearful British Prime Minister (Douglas Hodge), and a top Italian delegate (Sabrina Impacciatore) journeys throughout the hotel to find an escape and get help.
Her presence throughout this film keeps the audience engaged, especially as her military background is discussed throughout the film, with her never-say-die attitude that inspires others to follow in her seeking victory footsteps. When the group crosses a kitchen, Sutton sees a group of hostages that need rescuing and refuses to back down from anyone opposing her efforts. Davis and Rodriguez (Sutton and Ruiz) compose a plan against the two terrorist guards with high-powered assault riffles that end as incredible as it was comical at the moment.
As the story moves along, Davis is separated from her husband and family as they journey to find outside help against this terrorist and their leader. This film looks every bit as convincing as her war hero character is portrayed throughout, dropping half a dozen henchmen in quick succession as she goes to zero dark thirty.
As the plot advances, Sutton faces the ultimate betrayal from within, discovering that her trusted White House staff member Joanna Worth (Elizabeth Marvel) is complicit in Rutledge’s nefarious schemes. This revelation adds a dramatic twist to the climactic showdown between Sutton and Rutledge, culminating in a thrilling conclusion.
G20 has some intense, entertaining yet predictable moments, and Davis remains commanding. Despite some unrealistic moments in the film, including the final rescue scene, Davis as an action star is worth watching, and the price of admission… at least once.
Viola Davis truly carried this film, just as Denzel Washington carried Gladiator II. The film was reviewed and given 8/10.
