G20 (2025)

G20 (2025)

A film with Viola Davis as President of the USA? Who turns into a super fighter? Can you believe it ???
No, not for a second, I suppose!

It’s clearly a rather noble fantasy, really. She’s much more of a dream president than any of the presidents we know from near or far in real life!

So when I saw the poster and the start of the film, I said to myself that it was definitely going to be bad. And that’s despite a great intro that puts you straight into the action. There’s a terrorist attack and we discover that the President has a military past!

It’s an action film without much suspense, because connoisseurs of this kind of film already know that there won’t be any surprises and how it’s going to end.

It was ridiculous enough to see a president take a military plane to hunt down aliens in Independence Day (1996).

According to Wikipedia: ‘The film received mixed reviews. While the plot was criticised as over-the-top and clichéd, Viola Davis’ portrayal of President Sutton was praised for its intensity and presence. Some critics have highlighted the action-packed scenes, but have criticised the story’s lack of depth.’

Yet I’ve never really been impressed by Viola Davis. Wouldn’t I have seen her best films and performances? She is far from being an Angela Bassett or an Alfre Woodard.

Mexican director Patricia Riggen, who also produced and wrote the script, wanted to make a Die Hard-style film. Unfortunately, a comedy would have been better appreciated.

I wonder if I would have enjoyed this film if it was the first of its kind I’d seen? I’m really not sure!
But the fact is, there’s hardly anything original here. Everything has already been seen elsewhere, and what is supposed to make the film stand out from the crowd is so exaggerated and far-fetched as to be ridiculous.

In these times of major change, fuddy-duddy politics and misinformation of all kinds, this film dares to rebel against the established system. Personally, I love the concept, but it quickly turns into a cheesy action film with a big, unhappy villain. I suppose the film is really only of interest to the little American girl who will watch it and dream of one day being as badass as Viola Davis to overthrow the current government and change things.

The film talks about the fact that misinformation is listened to more than information, while clumsily trying to bash deep fakes. Appearing on Amazon Prime, this film attempted a cross between Olympus Has Fallen (2013) and the Die Hard movies. The pitch was that the President of the United States, a former military officer, becomes a war machine in the face of a spectacular attack during an international summit. On paper, why not? In reality, it’s a bit of a sticking point.

The Golden Palm for implausibility and plot facilitation. I’m usually tolerant of action films that have the merit of entertaining, even if I don’t love them, thanks to the production of great visual and rhythmic energy. This is certainly the case here. The problem is that G20 is an action film that collects false connections, enormities and exaggerated, not to say ridiculous, behaviour. I’ll illustrate my points with the film’s undisputed star: the President of the United States of America. This woman is perfect. She takes reckless risks, she has the strength of an elephant capable of flipping a commando built like an ice-cream cabinet like a pancake, she shoots like a sniper, she passes between the bullets, she endures very violent blows without flinching, she is capable of doing professional stunts. As a result, she steals the show from the criminals, but, once again, nobody believes it if you follow me. I forgot: she’s an exemplary mother with a gifted daughter and she’s a dream wife.

The problem is that everything else around this central character is in the same vein of credibility and I feel like saying that at this point, it’s making a mockery of the viewer: it’s a real lack of respect. I also perceived a misplaced patriotism in the sense that this G20 and its international personalities only owe their salvation to the Americans.

Come on… I don’t even want to say any more. Let’s move on!