MOVIE REVIEW: M3GAN 2.0

 

Two years after M3GAN, a marvel of artificial intelligence, went rogue and embarked on a murderous rampage, its creator, Gemma, has become an advocate for government oversight of AI. Unbeknownst to her, a defense contractor has created a military-grade weapon known as Amelia, the ultimate infiltration spy. However, as Emlia's self-awareness increases, it becomes less interested in taking orders. Hoping to stop Emilia, Gemma decides to resurrect M3GAN, making it faster, stronger, and more lethal.

Director: Gerard Johnstone

Cast: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Amie Donald, Jenna Davis, Ivanna Sakhno, Aristotle Athari, Timm Sharp, Jemaine Clement

Release Date: June 27, 2025

Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for strong violent content, bloody images, some strong language, sexual material, and brief drug references.

Runtime: 1h 59m

Review:

M3GAN 2.0 switches up the horror tone of the original to a goofier, sci-fi slant that mines films like Terminator 2 among others which works more often than not if you go with the flow.  Gerard Johnstone avoids making this series into a Chucky clone by going in a different direction which is sure to turn off some people, but he manages the change in tone and genre with impressive ease.  The film has a breezy feel to it that makes it easy to enjoy even though its story is more than a tad nonsensical.  He's clearly comfortable leaning into the sillier aspect of this particular story something he did with the original, albeit in a more restrained manner.  The action is bigger and louder across the board with the climatic robot karate fight being chock full of B-movie cheese.  The cast fully embraces it all and seems up for everything that Johnston throws at them.  Allison Williams and Violet McGraw return from the first film as adoptive mother and daughter with McGraw being given more to do this go around.  Williams is given much more latitude as the disgraced robot designer turned advocate for ethical usage of AI in this entry than her more reserved turn in the original.  Violet McGraw also got so much to do here as a preteen with her character having turned into something of robotics prodigy in the intervening years.  They both work well together as parent and siblings who have dealt with a bit more than the usual preteens.  Brian Jordan Alvarez and Jen Van Epps both also return as Gemma's coworkers who have stuck with her for some reason all things consider but it does provide some comedy once M3GAN returns in earnest.  Amie Donald and Jenna Davis are back providing the body and voice to a now slightly taller M3GAN that's explained away in a throwaway line of dialogue.  Davis' voice work is hilariously sardonic here even as the titular robot experiences a bit of personal growth throughout the film from killer robot to more of a protector.  Jemaine Clement has a fun but all too brief appearance as a tech billionaire in the mold of Elon Musk that leaves you wishing he'd gotten more screentime.  Ivanna Sakhno is given the rather thankless role of AMELIA (Autonomous Military Engagement Logistics & Infiltration Android) who serves as M3GAN rival.  While the majority of the returning cast is given so much more to do this go around, Sakhno isn't asked to do much outside of look robotic and make good use of her stunt fighting training.  With the film clocking in at nearly 2 hours it would have been worthwhile to have given her something more interesting to do than what she's tasked with.  M3GAN 2.0 has plenty of fat that could have been trimmed to make room for a bit more time with Sakhno's character but she's more than capable of giving off a murderous stare in this enjoyably comedic sci-fi romp.  

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: GEORGE A. ROMERO'S: RESIDENT EVIL

 

A documentary that brings to light the vision that director George A. Romero had for an adaptation of Resident Evil, using newly filmed interviews with those who were there, and unravels the secrets behind why it was never produced.

Director: Brandon Salisbury

Cast: George A. Romero, James Rolfe, Charlie Kraslavsky, Pat Jankiewicz, Eric Pirius, Pablo Kuntz, Michael Felsher, Jim Krut, Matthew Blazi

Release Date: January 7, 2025

Genre: Documentary

Not Rated 

Runtime: 1h 50m

Review:

Brandon Salisbury's George A. Romero's Resident Evil documentary works as a retrospective of both the Resident Evil video game franchise and Romero's career and his far-reaching impact.  Salisbury's approach is rather methodical but informative as he tracks the rise of the Resident Evil video game franchise and its ultimate intersection with its uncredited godfather in the form of George A. Romero.  It’s a fascinating behind the scenes tale of what should have been a match made in heaven before falling apart for a variety of reasons.  Salisbury uses archival documents from Romero's estate to give us an insight into what he was attempting to deliver had he been given the reins of this cinematic adaptation.  The retrospectives of the game and Romero himself that begins the documentary are rather dry as it covers fairly well-known information about both and their rise to prominence.  Once we reach the singular moment where both entities come together serves as the most intriguing portion of the film's two-hour runtime.  There's a solid sense of Romero's mindset as he sees the chance to help with the adaptation of the video game which borrowed so much from his legendary films as a way to take back some sort of agency of his ideas.  The documentary does a solid job of leading us along the journey as his adaptation slowly begins to fall apart due to corporate interference.  We're given a window into his bitterness after the project collapses, especially once the zombie genre takes off in the subsequent years.  George A. Romero's Resident Evil ends on a bit of a somber note as it tracks the latter half of his career and ultimately his death in 2017 with heartfelt remembrance and longing for his Resident Evil film that never came to be.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: F1

 

In the 1990s, Sonny Hayes was Formula 1's most promising driver until an accident on the track nearly ended his career. Thirty years later, the owner of a struggling Formula 1 team convinces Sonny to return to racing and become the best in the world. Driving alongside the team's hotshot rookie, Sonny soon learns that the road to redemption is not something you can travel alone.

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Cast: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, Javier Bardem, Shea Whigham

Release Date: June 27, 2025

Genre: Action, Drama, Sport

Rated PG-13 for strong language, and action.

Runtime: 2h 36m

Review:

Joseph Kosinski's F1 delivers some truly intense and thrilling racing sequences that really put you in the driver's seat which is sure to leave an impression even though the plot is more or less a dramatic take of 1989's Major League.  This is a sleek film that really takes off when it gets the camera inside the cars and we feel the propulsive energy of the motors.  Kosinski pulls off some impressive technical feats by giving the audience a full 360-degree view during the film's energetic racing sequences that leave you feeling every twist and turn of the track in a visceral way.  It would all be even more engaging if the story and characters matched the level of creativity and artistry as the visual but sadly, they prove to be little more than a collection of sports movie clichés.  The characters all fit into nice tidy boxes with their general characteristics and motivations easily related in a brief synopsis.  Brad Pitt is perfectly cast as the weather worn, former golden boy that's brought back to the sport that he'd walked away from decades ago after a tragic failure.  Pitt's natural, earned screen charisma makes his character far more interesting than he would be in a lesser actor's hands.  There are moments where you get the sense, he's digging for more depth to the character whose ultimate motivation seems to be the same as Ricky Bobby's in Talladega Nights.  It’s a testament to him as a true movie star that he can make some of the film's clunkier moments and dialogue palpable with his natural delivery.  Damson Idris is solid as the hotshot rookie who's brash but still intimidated when Pitt's character shows up.  Idris is an incredibly talented performer, anyone who watched his work in 6 seasons of FX's Snowfall can attest to that, but the script gives him painfully little to work with as Joshua Pearce's rivalry/friendship plays out in predictable fashion with Sonny Hayes.  There's a moment where it feels like the script might take their relationship and the story into more meaningful territory which would have been far more interesting than the more predictable path, they end up choosing.  Kerry Condon is given the thankless job as the perfunctory love interest that's given just enough backstory to give her character a tad more depth than you'd usually expect. Javier Bardem has fun as the team owner and former teammate of Pitt's Sonny Hayes that brings him back into F1.  Tobias Menzies is wasted as the scheming board member who's hoping for the team's failure and ultimate sale.  Once it’s all said and done you get the feeling there was an opportunity for F1 to be something truly special if the amount of time and care put into the racing sequences had been given to the story and characters. 

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: ELIO

 

Elio, an underdog with an active imagination, finds himself inadvertently beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide. Mistakenly identified as Earth's ambassador to the rest of the universe, he starts to form new bonds with eccentric aliens while discovering who he's truly meant to be.

Director: Adrian Molina, Domee Shi, Madeline Sharafian

Cast: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, Brandon Moon, Brad Garrett, Jameela Jamil

Release Date: June 20, 2025

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Rated PG for some action/peril and thematic elements.

Runtime: 1h 39m

Review:

Elio, Pixar's latest animated feature, brings a breath of fresh air with is original story and colorful characters while still managing to center itself around an emotional core.  The trio of directors, Adrian Molina, Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian, deliver a lively sci-fi tale that's fun and easy to enjoy.  The character designs are inventive and wonderfully crafted especially once the action moves into the Communiverse.  They manage to keep a steady pace with the action which keeps the plot moving, something that both parents and children alike will appreciate.  It gives the film a nice flow that rarely lets up as we follow Elio's journey as he progressively gets more and more in over his head.  It helps that the central character is likeable from the onset even as he tries to deal with the loss of his parents and find his place in the world.  Yonas Kibreab voices the character with impressive enthusiasm layered with tinges of sadness that's some depth to the character.  He and Zoe Saldaña share a believe rapport together as she navigates the best way to deal with her nephew who she's left to care for.  Saldaña does a solid job of balancing her character's conflicted situation where she wants to do the best she can for Elio but is equally overwhelmed with the responsibility thrust on her which stalled her career.  There's a fair amount of subtle nuance to it that's easy to miss among the cornucopia of visuals thrown on screen, but it adds so much to the overall story especially in the back half of the film.  Brad Garrett and Remy Edgerly bring a similar sort of energy to Lord Grigon and his son Glordon.  Garrett's deep baritone voice works well for his seemingly aggressive character while Edgerly provides a solid contrast as his son who's not interested in his dad's work.  Edgerly and Kibreab make for a fun duo in the middle portion of the film with their friendship feeling believable as they're both looking for acceptance and attention from their guardians.  It all may not be as emotionally deep or devastating as some of Pixar's other films such as Coco or Inside Out, but Elio will leave you feeling good when you walk out of the theater.  

  

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: 28 YEARS LATER

 

It's been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped from a biological weapons laboratory. Still living in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amid the infected. One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily defended causeway. When one of them decides to venture into the dark heart of the mainland, he soon discovers a mutation that has spread to not only the infected, but other survivors as well.

Director: Danny Boyle

Cast: Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alfie Williams, Ralph Fiennes, Jack O'Connell

Release Date: June 20, 2025

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rated R for strong bloody violence, grisly images, graphic nudity, language and brief sexuality.

Runtime: 1h 55m

Review:

28 Years Later subverts expectations at every turn as Danny Boyle's return brings back his frenzied, kinetic style paired with an overstuffed script from Alex Garland that aims for something far more meaningful and epic than you'd expect.  Boyle takes the reins behind the camera, after ushering a new age of zombie films with 28 Days Later, with confidence that shines through as he delivers an evocative, fever dream of a film.  There are moments scattered throughout its nearly two-hour runtime that are simply mesmerizing in such a way that they almost feel other worldly even though the story boils down to coming-of-age tale.  It’s a visually aggressive film that feeds images in such a steady succession that it rarely gives the audience a moment to fully dissect what is being splashed on screen.  There's still plenty of "rage" induced action, but Boyle is far more concerned with the characters living in this postapocalyptic landscape.  It’s chock-full with allegorical meaning, speaking to variety of issues and concepts currently playing out in the real world.  Those looking for more action heavy, more mindless zombie fare might be left disappointed here as the story stakes out its own path with some choices working better than others.  Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Alfie Williams carry the first half of the film as we follow a seemingly straightforward father/son relationship before slow reveals open up the story to its back half with the character's mother played well by Jodie Comer.  Ralph Fiennes gets the least amount of screentime of the main characters, but his inspired turn leaves such a big impression that you wish Boyle would have given him more time to flesh him out.  When it’s all said and done, Alfie Williams deserves a hefty bit of credit for serving as the film's life blood as the film ends with a set up for the 28 Years Later sequel that looks to take everything in a more Romeroesque vibe.

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: MATERIALISTS

 

A young New York City matchmaker's lucrative business gets complicated as she finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex.

Director: Celine Song

Cast: Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal

Release Date: June 13, 2025

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Rated R for language and brief sexual material.

Runtime: 1h 49m

Review:

Celine Song's sophomore film, Materialist, isn't quite as focused as Past Lives but it’s a fascinatingly uneven rumination on dating powered by strong performances from its central trio.  Song's film initially feels like a standard rom-com set up but it clear from the outset that she's got more on her mind than that as she uses tropes to lure us into something more interesting.  The debonair rich suitor vs downtrodden, love sick loser is a classic set up but here its deconstructed to something more honest.  Each suitor plays to one half of Dakota Johnson's Lucy with one serving as the answer to her analytical and more materialistic side while the other remains more abstract in spite of history and common sense.  Johnson and Pedro Pascal scenes together are played up with an air of elegance and refinement while maintaining as sense of artificial detachment.  Pascal has his charm level set to max with his character's ultimate failing not being the standard issue anger, womanizing or drug problem that these characters are typically saddled with but something inaner and shallow.  Pascal still manages to bring an air of humanity to the role, something that's typically missing from this kind of character.  He and Johnson make for a solid screen couple but some of their discussions feel a bit too artificial and scripted, far removed from natural conversation.  Johnson’s scenes with her ex-beau, played with just the right level of hapless innocence by Chris Evans, come across a bit more naturally and nuanced.  They deliver solid, subtle work as we get a sense of their shared history with every look and pause conveying volumes of information.  Evans is given plenty of sweet, swoon worthy moments that are sure to melt many hearts serving as effective foil to Pascal's more measured and calculated aura.  A handful of tonal shifts shake up the film's flow, making it a choppier experience as the focus shifts far too often at inopportune times.  A more focused approach on the central trio would have made the whole thing more effective but those looking for a more thoughtful rom-com will find plenty to enjoy with Materialists.    

 

B

MOVIE REVIEW: THE ALTO KNIGHTS

 

In the 1950s, notorious New York crime bosses Frank Costello and Vito Genovese vie for control of the city streets. Once the best of friends, petty jealousies and a series of betrayals place them on a deadly collision course that reshapes organized crime forever.

Director: Barry Levinson

Cast: Robert De Niro, Debra Messing, Cosmo Jarvis, Kathrine Narducci, Michael Rispoli

Release Date: March 21, 2025

Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, History

Rated R for violence and pervasive language

Runtime: 2h 3m

Review:

The Alto Knights is a solid, if unremarkable mafia tale from Barry Levinson with the main draw being Robert De Niro playing dual roles.  Levinson's film is efficient enough to move through Costello's life at a steady pace even though it suffers from an unshakeable sense of familiarity due to the sheer glut of mafia stories that have hit the screen.  It lessens the effect of this true-life story since there are very few surprises in store as we  follow Costello's retelling of his friendship and feud with Vito Genovese.  Robert De Niro is still more than capable enough to carry dual roles and does it fairly effortlessly here.  He seems to be enjoying himself playing back in the mafia sandbox as he cycles through variations of characters, he's played in the past along with a few hints of Raging Bull thrown in for good measure.  It’s hard to deny how fun it is to see De Niro perform against himself when the characters come face to face, but you can't shake the feeling that the film would have been better off casting someone else as Vito, Joe Pesci would have been perfect for multiple reasons.  It doesn't help that the script from Nicholas Pileggi, who wrote Goodfellas and Casino, is surprisingly thin in terms of fleshing out the characters across the board.  Costello and Genovese are always at arm’s length as we never really get much insight into their minds outside of one's perchance for violence in contrast to the other's more measured, less brutal, approach.  The supporting characters suffer even more as we get painfully little to flesh them out leaving solid performers like Debra Messing and Cosmo Jarvis with very little to work with.  Adding a bit more depth to the characters across the board would have made The Alto Knights far more engaging than it ends up being once everything is said and done.

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND

 

Old tensions resurface when former bandmates who were former lovers reunite for a private show at the island home of an eccentric millionaire.

Director: James Griffiths

Cast: Tim Key, Tom Basden, Carey Mulligan, Akemnji Ndifornyen, Sian Clifford

Release Date: March 28, 2025

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music, Romance

Rated PG-13 for some language and smoking.

Runtime: 1h 40m

Review:

The Ballad of Wallis Island is one of those indie gems that pops up every so often that's so subtly heartfelt and funny that you barely notice how engaged you’re with it until it lingers in your memory long after the film ends.  The film is surprising on multiple levels as it traffics in various rom-com/awkward comedy tropes but takes them in refreshingly unexpected directions.  Director, James Griffiths, reunites with writers/stars Tom Basden and Tim Key for this feature length adaptation of their 2007 short The One and Only Herb McGwyer Plays Wallis Island.  Their familiarity working together and the subject matter is readily apparent as they create something disarmingly funny, sweet and meaningful.  Tim Key brings an endearing but oblivious awkwardness that could have bordered on creepy if his performance wasn't so carefully nuanced.  Key gives his character a well-meaning authenticity to the man simply trying to memorialize his deceased wife with a performance from his favorite musicians.  Tom Basden brings an appropriate sense of self-importance to his half of the musical duo at the center of the film.  Basden performance is a fascinating blend ego paired with self-loathing as he’s desperate to find his musical groove again after pursuing a more commercial career at the cost of his relationship.  Carey Mulligan is pitch perfect as his ex-who’s moved on but is willing to revisit that part of her life as part of the gig.  Mulligan's character is measured and layered in a way that you rarely see in these kinds of movies.  Her character acts like a real person throughout especially in the final act which touches on the recurring themes of regret, loss and acceptance.  It all builds together to make The Ballad of Wallis Island something truly special and memorable in the best way possible.  

A

MOVIE REVIEW: THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME

 

Wealthy businessman, Zsa-zsa Korda appoints his only daughter, a nun, as sole heir to his estate. As Korda embarks on a new enterprise, they soon become the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists, and determined assassins.

Director: Wes Anderson

Cast: Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis, F. Murray Abraham, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Willem Dafoe, Bill Murray

Release Date: June 6, 2025

Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for violent content, bloody images, some sexual material, nude images, and smoking throughout.

Runtime: 1h 45m

Review:

Wes Anderson's latest film, The Phoenician Scheme, finds his esoteric style increasingly refined which is sure to please a long time but it'll do little to bring others into the fold.  Anderson meticulous visuals always give his films their distinctive style with that being true again here.  He toys with more hallucinatory detours that give this film a more spiritual sensibility centered around themes of legacy and redemption of self.  It’s a fascinating subject matter, one that's laced some of his previous films such as The Royal Tenenbaums and The Grand Hotel Budapest, but his approach is even more overt here.  There's a mediative contemplation to it all as we follow Benicio del Toro's Zsa-zsa Korda plan to cement his legacy while attempting to mend his relationship with his estranged daughter played wonderfully by Mia Threapleton.  The overly complex plans sometimes hamper the central themes he's exploring which leaves you wishing he'd chosen something a bit less involved to focus on the father/daughter relationship which drives the film.  Those moments possess the kind of tender, soulfulness that have made some of his best films stand out.  It’s a difficult balancing act that he can't pull off this time around as the film occasionally comes to a screeching halt thanks to an over indulgence on the quirky scenario and cameos which are fun but feel far more superfluous than usual.  Those cameos are peppered with a cavalcade of A listers with each making the most of their screentime with Jeffrey Wright's character sorely begging for more time to shine.  Benicio del Toro and Mia Threapleton make for a strong onscreen duo as two different sides of the same coin even though she may or may not be his biological daughter.  Michael Cera fits right in as the third primary cast member with him easily working himself into Anderson's world, so much so that you're left wondering why they haven't worked together sooner.  The Phoenician Scheme may not land in the upper echelon of Wes Anderson's but that doesn't mean that fans won't find plenty to enjoy in this fanciful excursion.  

B-

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of John Wick Chapter 4 & Captain America Brave New World

 My dear readers: This past week I caught up with a pair of action flicks from franchises in which I was once invested.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

First on my agenda, John Wick: Chapter 4.

Hoping to finally earn his freedom, our hero John Wick is on the run again.

The John Wick franchise seems to blow up its universe pretty much every movie, only to find a way of repeating the same formula with the next outing. JW4 is no real exception, and if the schtick is wearing a bit thin, there's still a lot to like here. Keanu Reeves was born for this role, and there will always be some joy in seeing him play it. Ian McShane elevates any project lucky enough to have him. The cinematography, set design, and fight choreography remain head-and-shoulders above average for the genre, but...maybe there's something to be said for franchises that quit while they're ahead. Chapter 4 is overlong, and the fight scenes, well-done as they are, drag on and on. The movie doesn't manage to hold any real suspense, so ultimately its aesthetic virtues can't save it from being uninspiring.

John Wick: Chapter 4 runs 169 minutes (I'm not kidding) and is rated R for, "pervasive strong violence and some language."

John Wick: Chapter 4 retains some of the assets that make the franchise great, but it might be time to put this one to bed. Of a possible nine Weasleys, John Wick: Chapter 4 gets six.

John Wick: Chapter 4 is now streaming on Peacock.

Next on the docket was Marvel's Captain America: Brave New World.

Sam Wilson officially takes the shield and must foil a nefarious international plot.

In my house, we stan Anthony Mackie, so I was very much looking forward to him taking the top(ish) spot in the Marvel hierarchy. Brave New World gives him a serviceable film with a strong supporting cast and a decent storyline. The movie is almost entirely without the forced humor and convoluted timeline/universe jumping that plague most Marvel output. If the movie is a bit longer than it needs to be, it's not nearly as bloated as most Marvel pictures, and it's well paced enough to (mostly) get away with it.

Captain America: Brave New World clocks in at a pretty reasonable 118 minutes and is rated PG13 for, "intense sequences of violence and action and some strong language."

Captain America: Brave New World is a solid beginning for an iconic hero's new chapter. 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Captain America: Brave New World gets seven and a half.

Captain America: Brave New World is now streaming on Disney+.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: BALLERINA

 

An assassin trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma organization sets out to seek revenge after her father's death.

Director: Len Wiseman

Cast: Ana de Armas, Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus, Anjelica Huston, Lance Reddick, Ian McShane, Keanu Reeves

Release Date: June 6, 2025

Genre: Action, Thriller

Rated R for strong/bloody violence throughout, and language.

Runtime: 2h 5m

Review:

Ballerina is preposterous on multiple levels, but the inventive action and Ana de Armas' laser focused performance makes it far more watchable than it deserves to be.  Len Wiseman is no stranger to directing kick ass heroines, having helmed the Underworld franchise in the early 2000's, so he makes an easy fit for this John Wick spin off.  He's more than capable of emulating the look and feel of the main line films, especially the increasingly outlandish action sequences highlighted by a flamethrower fight in the final act.  There's also a fun injection of tongue in cheek comedy during the barrage of action sequences highlighted by a sequence in a Bavarian Cafe that might have people of a certain age have Three Stooges flashbacks.  It’s a nice way to mix things up for the usual formula along with making a point of Eve having to make up for the strength disparity with the majority of her male adversaries.  That's not to say she doesn't mow through a boat load of people throughout the film's runtime but it’s refreshing to see them get a bit more inventive with the character relying more on knives and bombs in addition to the cornucopia of guns she uses.  Sure, it’s ultimately lip service since her character has a video game style rechargeable life bar which recharges shortly after the assorted injuries she endures throughout.  Ana De Armas is impressively focused throughout, making it all the mayhem and carnage immensely watchable even as it starts to overstay its welcome.  There's also a sense that she's searching for something meatier, character wise, to bite into which is sadly lacking for her and the cast across the board.  The script offers the bares of a story thread, leaning heavily on the established lore while throwing out some interesting ideas like an assassin cult but never really doing anything with it.  If there had been a bit more time and attention given to the story and characters, it would have made Ballerina more than a fun but forgettable detour from the main series.     

C+