Terrorists take over the G20 summit with President Sutton, bringing her governing and military experience to defend her family, company, and the world.

Who doesn’t admire Viola Davis as an actress? She’s phenomenal and well deserving of everything she desires in Hollywood. Other than a role or two in her filmography, Viola has repeatedly knocked it out of the park. She’s what piqued my interest when I first saw the trailer for G20. It appeared fun and entertaining, but also slightly generic as if we’ve been here before. I wasn’t excited about the film, but was curious about her involvement, and it being centered around a Black American family in the White House. Throw in some action with a decent villain, and not much else is needed for some basic entertainment for the average moviegoer, or at least myself. So, does G20 deliver? Well, you may not want to run to the theater, but you can’t go wrong with streaming it at home. It’s action-packed, with dashes of comedy. It does not take itself too seriously but still retains some stakes of being a joyous crowd-pleaser that won’t disappoint.

It does take a while for the plot to spice up, but once it does, it doesn’t stop. As expected, the stage has to be set getting to know all of the characters, mainly President Danielle Sutton (Viola Davis), her husband Derek (Anthony Anderson), and two children Serena (Marsai Martin) and Demetrius (Christopher Farrar). Casting Viola as the President of the US is believable, which is not always the case with other actors. Overall, the family was great, and the misdirection used to introduce them in the intro of the film was welcoming. Danielle and Derek’s relationship was solid. While Danielle did take the lead as far as screen time and her profession, there was still enough room for Anthony’s character Derek to be proud. Both Serena and Demetrius were great additions too. Their characters were prominent, and easily likable as well. The pop culture jokes Demetrius dropped during a moment of action were perfectly timed. Serena was a smart tech genius who used her brains to solve elaborate complex problems. Yes, it was a bit convenient at times and could’ve been fleshed out more, but her story still worked, to say the least.

The action had everything you’d want and more. Car dog chases, aerial assaults, hand-to-hand combat, bombs, explosions, knives, you name it. Yes, all of this has been seen before and executed with superior results, but given the context of the film, and it being a streaming film best for home consumption, it still delivered. As mentioned earlier, the stakes are there. People die, viciously, and more than half of it comes sprinting around the corner without any warning. You will gasp during certain moments due to its brutality, yet it’s earned, and not over the top to seem unnecessarily edgy. The villain Rutledge (Antony Starr) was more than a handful to deal with as well. Just simply evil for no reason other than his selfishness and insecurities. He was convincing and didn’t hold his punches. From early on when he spoke, you knew he meant business, so he created a great balance between good and evil in his worldly takeover attempt.

There are a couple of surprisingly pleasant cameo pop-ups throughout as well. The plot was slightly predictable at times, and unpredictable at other times. Comedy was used during moments of tension, which was successful on more than one occasion. Comedy during serious moments doesn’t always work but it was one of the main ingredients in G20. Again, there is a high level of seriousness in this film, but it also has its lighthearted moments, which may not matter anyway as you’ll be captivated by the characters involved.

Throughout the film, only one decision by a character would make you want to scream. That’s acceptable, seeing that nobody is perfect, especially when held at gun points by terrorists. Yet, most are seeing this movie because of Viola’s portrayal, and she didn’t disappoint. Until her role in this film and The Woman King (2022), she may not have been known for her physical capabilities. To be honest, there was one physical fight she was in that might require you to suspend your disbelief, but besides that, this field of work is something she should continue to explore.

G20 is the perfect movie to watch on a Friday night after a long week with pizza, wings, your favorite drink, or whatever food your heart desires. It has great rewatch ability, and while it contains violence, it’s still appropriate for most ages.

Official Trailer:

Final Trailer:

Sneak Peak