G20: Viola Davis Is the Commander-In-Chief of Action

G20 premiered on Amazon Prime Video on April 10, 2025, and is rated 16+. Directed by Patricia Riggen, this 1 hour 50-minute political action thriller stars Viola Davis as President Danielle Sutton.

When a deadly hostage crisis unfolds during the G20 summit, President Sutton must navigate complex political tensions, face ruthless criminals, and make life-or-death decisions to save both the world and its leaders. Packed with high-octane action and sharp political maneuvering, G20 showcases the power of a determined female leader in the face of chaos.

Viola Davis in G20 — Viola Davis as President Danielle Sutton

The Premise

President Danielle Sutton has a bold new vision to tackle world hunger—by giving African farmers access to cryptocurrency. Yes, digital coins to fight real-life famine. A curious choice, perhaps, but hey, Sutton’s all in. With a supposedly foolproof plan in hand, she heads to the G20 summit in Cape Town, South Africa, ready to charm world leaders into joining her cause.

Originally, she planned to bring just her husband, Anthony Sutton. But after her teenage daughter, Serena, pulled a Houdini on her Secret Service detail and partied her way into the headlines, the whole first family got roped in. Serena, code-named “Avid,” and her eccentric brother who knows a bit of Zulu, all tag along—for “security reasons” (aka Mom wants to keep them within yelling distance).

World leaders arrive and exchange pleasantries, keeping things diplomatically routine—until chaos erupts. Attackers wipe out the nearby U.S. Counter Assault Team, plunging the summit into crisis.

Rutledge, the villain of the hour, storms in with a twisted plan that only screenwriters and crypto bros could cook up: use deepfake videos of world leaders saying outrageous things to trigger global panic, spark mass bank withdrawals, and skyrocket cryptocurrency value—where, naturally, he’s already heavily invested.

President Sutton, thankfully, isn’t just a policy wonk—she’s also a decorated war veteran who doesn’t need saving. Alongside her trusty agent Manny Ruiz, Sutton goes full action-hero. Meanwhile, her husband and kids are dodging bullets, Serena is hacking enemy systems like it’s a group project, and even The Beast (the President’s limo) gets its own action scene.

Marsai Martin in G20 — Marsai Martin as Serena Sutton

Cue explosions, betrayal (yes, there’s an inside man), dramatic gunfire, and a series of increasingly bold rescues. Manny gets shot. The husband gets captured. The kids get hunted. But Sutton keeps moving, outsmarting the bad guys one crypto-powered plot twist at a time. In the end, she saves her family, the hostages, and the world economy—earning global respect, cooperation, and probably a very long nap.

It’s Airforce One meets Die Hard meets White House Down, with a touch of Wakanda, and a heavy dose of “Mom knows best.”

Cast and Performances

Viola Davis as President Danielle Sutton? If there’s one thing the casting team got absolutely right, it was putting Viola in the Oval Office. She had the poise, the presence, and the sheer “don’t-mess-with-me” energy you’d want from a world-saving Madam President. She brought the muscle from The Woman King and the razor-sharp snark from How to Get Away with Murder. Honestly, she carried this movie on her very capable shoulders and probably had to realign her spine afterward.

Antony Starr played Rutledge, the villain, and if you’ve seen The Boys, you already know this man was born to play unhinged. He brought that creepy-calm energy, but sadly, the script didn’t let him go full supervillain. You could feel him itching to unleash more chaos, but someone clearly told him to tone it down. Tragic.

Ramon Rodriguez as Agent Manny Ruiz gave solid Secret Service energy with just a hint of longing that made you wonder if he wouldn’t mind trading suits with the First Gentleman. His chemistry with Viola was nice—loyal, protective, and maybe a little too into her.

Speaking of the First Gentleman, Anthony Anderson as Derek Sutton was… an interesting choice. We love him for the laughs, but watching him play serious dad-mode opposite his Black-ish daughter Marsai Martin (Serena Sutton) was a bit of a mental hurdle. It almost felt like we were watching a Black-ish special episode where the family accidentally ends up in a hostage crisis. Personally? I would’ve voted for Jeffrey Wright or Courtney B. Vance—someone with a bit more presidential spouse gravitas. But maybe they needed someone who wouldn’t outshine Viola.

Other noteworthy appearances included Elizabeth Marvel as the Treasury Secretary, Douglas Hodge as the annoying British Prime Minister, Clark Gregg as the Vice President (Agent Coulson always finds a way back to power), and South African actress Noxolo Dlamini, who brought a little ‘Wakanda’ magic to the proceedings.

All in all, it was Viola’s show.

What I Liked About The Movie

Let’s start with the obvious win—G20 gave us something we don’t see nearly enough: a Black female president at the center of a global meltdown, kicking butt in a power suit. And not just any president—Viola “You better act right” Davis. That alone was worth the stream.

The film’s pacing? Surprisingly tight. It didn’t waste time with long-winded diplomacy scenes or overcooked monologues—just enough talk before we got back to dodging bullets and outsmarting deepfake-wielding villains. The action sequences were actually fun to watch. Fistfights, shootouts, presidential free-run? Check, check, and check.

Now, let’s talk tech. Incorporating crypto theft, market manipulation, and AI-generated deepfakes into the plot wasn’t just timely—it was genius. It made the villain’s plan feel modern and frighteningly plausible, especially in a world where headlines already sound like sci-fi scripts. And seeing global leaders cooperate for once? A rare sight away from the trade wars we currently hear all day on the news.

Also, yes, I’ve said it, and I’ll say it again—watching Viola Davis hold down this entire film like the true MVP she is? Pure joy. Give that woman another award and a matching cape.

What Didn’t Work

Okay, where do we even begin?

Let’s start with the plot—it was more predictable than a Marvel post-credit scene. You could practically see the twists coming from space, and not the cool kind like Interstellar, just the kind where you sigh and go, “Ah, of course that happened.” Someone pitched the whole cryptocurrency subplot like a game-changer and thought, “Yeah, this will sound smart.” Spoiler: It didn’t. At least not in the way it was delivered. I still don’t understand what President Sutton’s plan was for African farmers.

Now, about the politics—this is supposed to be a “political action thriller,” right? So, where’s the actual politics? Other than the betrayal by her own staffers, there was barely any wheeling, dealing, or strategy—just running, gunning, and dramatic speeches. That’s action. The politics? MIA.

Let’s talk about the dialogue. There were four writers. Four. Yet the script often sounded like a group chat accidentally turned screenplay. For a movie where world leaders face hostage situations and markets crash, the characters delivered lines with the emotional urgency of a seminar. Viola did her best (because she’s Viola), but even she looked like she was trying to be more.

Then there’s the president’s son, Demetrius Sutton. What was he doing there? What was he doing? He could’ve been cut, and the plot wouldn’t have noticed.

Marsai Martin and Christopher Farrar in G20

Also, someone explain why in one scene President Sutton turns into a sniper queen, and in the next, she’s hesitating with a gun like it’s her first day at target practice. Make it make sense. And while we’re at it—where were the South African security forces? You’re telling me the G20 summit is happening in Cape Town, an entire Secret Service unit is wiped out in the honeymoon suite, and nobody from the host nation shows up except a few undercover agents with the subtlety of Wakanda cosplay? Really? It felt like the local police got the day off because “America brought their own guys.”

Eventually, a special police task force storms in to save the day—but here’s the thing: who were they? Not a single one looked remotely South African. Were they international private contractors, or were they just really tanned tourists who took a wrong turn with body armour? Who knows! The movie sure didn’t explain it.

Final Thoughts

If you were hoping for political depth, strategy, or a smartly woven plot, this isn’t that movie. What you do get is a blend of White House Down, Air Force One, and a touch of Nollywood’s The Waiter—just without Akpos and with a bigger budget, shinier effects, and way more stunt coordination. In fact, despite all the Hollywood gloss, it was only marginally more dramatic than The Waiter—and not necessarily more sensible in execution.

Still, if you’re in the mood for some “Madam President goes rogue, saves the world, survives a crypto coup” kind of fun—then hey, G20 might just be your weekend watch.