Review of the Ballerina Film

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Gabriel Byrne, Ana de Armas, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus, Anjelica Huston, and Lance Reddick

Len Wiseman is the director.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

At one point in Len Wiseman's Ballerina, the protagonist Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) is criticized by her mentor, the Director (Anjelica Huston), for resorting to physical violence against a man during a battle. She says to her, "Fight like a girl." This moment represents a change in the tone of this John Wick spinoff, as from then on, Ana and the movie make sure they are not John Wick replicas. In several areas, Ballerina, a worthy successor to the John Wick franchise, surpasses the originals. The movie opens slowly, but it quickly picks up speed with amazing choreography, stunning visuals, and a superb Ana de Armas.

From the realm of John Wick

Ballerina takes place prior to the happenings of John Wick Chapter 4 and explores the origins of the character we met in Chapter 3 - Parabellum. Like John Wick, Eve Macarro's father was a member of the Ruska Roma community, but he was murdered by a sinister gang for turning against them. The Ruska Roma train Eve to be an assassin and raise her. She encounters the same tribe that had murdered her family many years later. She starts her vengeance quest with the assistance of the mysterious proprietor of the New York Continental Hotel, Ian McShane, and Winston Scott. The sole problem is that she may not have time on her side—and neither does John Wick.

Ballerina introduces the world-building from John Wick, which includes the Continental, the seedy Ruska Roma underworld, and the mythology of the assassins. However, they are not the only factor. That's an attempt to entice the audience. The narrative then centers on Eve, the ballerina assassin. The movie tests your patience at first, and the buildup is gradual. The first 40 minutes might suggest that the movie is simply another John Wick tale, similar to the unsuccessful Continental series. There are a lot of parallels and throwbacks, and it all begins to seem a bit "been there, seen that".

How Ballerina Makes a Comeback

However, Ballerina performs a self-check rapidly. Director Len Wiseman understands that the film's unique selling points are its action and humor, rather than its emotional complexity or lack thereof. He swiftly switches tactics and arranges an hour and a half of continuous action featuring grenades exploding, machine guns blazing, and Eve discovering ever more creative methods to murder, dismember, and maim people. All done artistically, of course.

One reason Ballerina doesn't resemble a John Wick copycat is because Eve's fighting style is so different from John Wick's. She fights like a girl, using speed, flexibility, agility, and finesse—all characteristics of a ballerina. Brute force is also a factor, but the creativity in the fight scenes makes everything more plausible and is appropriate for Ana de Armas' physique.

However, the best moments in the movie are when Eve plays with her toys. This is best seen in two amazing action sequences. The first one is in Prague, where Eve employs a variety of tools, from knives to explosives, and writes blood graffiti on the screen. The action is visceral, gruesome, and yet gorgeous. The climactic gunfight, though, is the one that really wins it. The image of Eve wielding a flamethrower reminded me of Ripley from Aliens, but I didn't want to give too much away. The elegance of the shot is in how it captures the little Ana de Armas as an invincible force.

The use of cameos is another skill that ballerinas excel in. Ian McShane, Anjelica Huston, and Lance Reddick (in his last film role) are returned, but merely as assistants to support Eve's universe. The film never allows them to steal the show from the main character. They go back into the background after giving the tale a few whistles of support.

The movie's treatment of the elephant in the room, Keanu Reeves as John Wick, is even more outstanding. It would have been insufficient to have the character appear in only one throwaway scene with no action. However, giving him the role of the savior and going all out with fan service would be an injustice to Ana. Shay Hatten, the writer, and Wiseman strike a balance and navigate that route successfully. John Wick arrives, steals the show, and then immediately turns the attention back to Eve. He is happy to keep a dominant aura throughout without stealing the show, and he prefers to stay in the background. Keanu also deserves full credit for that.

In conclusion

After what John Wick has subjected us to, Ballerina is a nonstop action thriller that raises the standard. Despite the presence of Gabriel Byrne and Ian McShane, the performances may not be anything worth writing home about, but the choreography and action more than make up for it. Ana de Armas demonstrates that women can also helm high-octane action franchises, and Ballerina is a respectable successor to John Wick. Hopefully, there will be more to learn from the world of Eve for both Eve and the viewers.

Read Also: "Sitaare Zameen Par" First Review: Aamir Khan’s Film on Neurodivergent Adults Poised to Make an Impact

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