G20
Directed by Patricia Riggen
★★★★
G20
Credit: Ilze Kitshoff/Prime
Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios
Description: Viola Davis, Antony Starr
G20, the high-octane geopolitical thriller directed by Patricia Riggen, delivers exactly what the trailer promises: explosive action, sleek visuals, and Viola Davis in full command. Set against the tense backdrop of an international summit hijacked by terrorists, the film turns a familiar concept into something surprisingly fresh, mostly thanks to its lead star. As President Danielle Sutton, Davis dominates the screen with a ferocity and authority that transforms what could have been a generic action setup into a gripping ride.
The premise is simple and efficient: during a high-profile G20 Summit, a group of well-coordinated terrorists seize control of the facility, taking global leaders hostage and threatening to destabilize the world order. What they didn’t count on, of course, was that the President of the United States isn’t just a politician—she’s a battlefield-hardened strategist with zero tolerance for threats. What follows is a satisfying mix of cat-and-mouse tactics, hand-to-hand combat, and political maneuvering, all with Davis at the center, balancing nerve, empathy, and pure adrenaline.
The movie benefits from a stylish presentation. Riggen keeps the pace relentless, with slick cinematography, moody lighting, and tight close-quarters choreography that never loses clarity. There’s a grounded, tactile quality to the fight scenes and gun battles that keeps the tension high while still allowing for moments of spectacle. Whether it's hand-to-hand combat or strategizing through encrypted channels, everything is infused with a sense of urgency and tension.
Supporting performances add texture without stealing the spotlight. Antony Starr, best known for his chilling turn in The Boys, brings that same chaotic unpredictability here as the lead terrorist, exuding menace without tipping into caricature. His interactions with Davis are charged and tense, providing a worthy adversary. Anthony Edwards, as the First Gentleman, lends a sense of moral clarity to the chaos, grounding the stakes as they unfold both inside and outside the summit walls.
Still, G20 is unquestionably Viola Davis’s film. She’s in nearly every scene, and her performance demands attention. Davis has long since proven she can do prestige drama, but here she reminds everyone that she’s just as comfortable kicking down doors and dispatching villains. She brings the kind of physicality and emotional credibility most action stars only dream of. Frankly, she could play Donald Trump and make it believable—though nobody would ever want that. That’s the level she’s working on.
The film doesn’t necessarily reinvent the genre, but it doesn’t need to. The charm of G20 lies in its efficiency and attitude. It’s aware of its own stakes, keeps the emotional beats human-sized, and moves with confidence. It avoids the bloat of many political action films, staying laser-focused on the mission at hand: survival, justice, and leadership under pressure.
Slick, smart, and fueled by a powerhouse performance, G20 is exactly what you’d want from a modern political action thriller. It’s fast, fun, and anchored by one of the greatest living actors proving once again that there’s no role too large, no challenge too intense, and no genre she can’t conquer. Viola Davis isn’t just the President in G20—she’s the whole damn movie.
