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+
