Although John Wick: Chapter 4 left things on a conclusive note for its titular assassin, we’re not exactly done exploring this universe. With the latest entry, Ballerina, the franchise delivers its first spin-off, an action-packed endeavor with a new vengeance-seeking protagonist—but it doesn’t match the mainline films on every front.
Set between the events of the third and fourth John Wick films, Ballerina follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) as she’s brought into the Ruska Roma assassin world at a young age after her father is killed by a cult leader known as The Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne). Now, as an adult, Eve is ready to get revenge against The Chancellor, but it’s a choice that comes with serious consequences. With a new assassin leading the charge, Ballerina introduces a different perspective on the world that fans have come to love. Since John Wick (Keanu Reeves) was older by the time we met him, we only got glimpses of the Ruska Roma and the Director’s (Anjelica Huston) operations in assassin training. Through Eve, though, we get a direct tour of it all that’s harsher and more rigorous than imaginable.
It’s interesting to see Eve transition from the more movement/discipline-focused ballet training to the more combat-heavy assassin regimen, and the two blend together incredibly well. There are thrilling sequences of Eve being tasked with protecting a ward through a dangerous training ground and some early combat scenes that really shine. You really feel Eve grow as an assassin and it’s nice that there’s some real emotion fueling her drive to be the best. There’s actually an empowering moment where Eve is told to take control of a fight that’s really awesome, and de Armas thrives every step of the way. She effortlessly captures the physical screen presence this role needs and is able to weave in Eve’s personal determination for vengeance into some tense confrontations. Not to mention, the daunting atmosphere of the Ruska Roma never fades and the “final test” Eve must complete is so vicious and real that it leaves a lump in your throat.
Thankfully too, the first act origins with Eve also showcase some fun connections to the wider John Wick universe. Not only does this film set itself well within the franchise’s timeline, it allows for returning characters to really shine in ways fans will love. It’s awesome to see the Director take more of a prominent role and Huston’s performance and screen presence excel. It’s hard not to get choked up seeing Lance Reddick in his final performance as Charon, and it feels like a fitting yet bittersweet way for his career to end. However, nothing compares to having Reeves back as Wick, and there are some surprising ways Wick makes an impact in Eve’s story. Ballerina is a proper inclusion to the world of John Wick that sadly could’ve separated itself a little more than it does.
In terms of the story itself, Ballerina rarely brings anything new to the table. Despite de Armas providing the right energy and presence to Eve’s vengeance-seeking mission, her story is just “John Wick-lite” at its core. Eve basically goes through the same motions and issues Wick did when he started to break away from the rules and traditions of their assassin world. The warnings, stakes, consequences, and most notably the ending all feel ripped from Wick’s arc and it makes the story feel like a lesser retelling of what’s happened already. There also isn’t enough of a deeper exploration into the world, and it would’ve been cool to see more about Ruska Roma and The Continental be touched on here. Plus, unfortunately, the new things that are introduced are either bland or underwhelming. The “cult” that Eve fights against is fairly generic and there’s no interesting lore or personality established for them to intrigue fans. Worst of all, Norman Reedus is so underutilized in this film that he might as well not be in it at all—which no one wants to hear. Overall, Ballerina is fairly forgettable story-wise and doesn’t have the depth or freshness it needs to stand apart.
Yet, even with the story being a mixed bag, Ballerina’s saving grace is unsurprisingly this franchise’s brand of action continuing to be a crowd-pleaser. Even with Chad Stahelski stepping away from directing duties, Len Wiseman fills his shoes well to carve up the screen with some stunning fight sequences. Some of the set pieces are truly unique and incredibly fun to play around in, like an icy party bar or a gun shop filled to the brim with weapons. We even get to see Eve fight her way through an entire town, and it feels like everything is on the table here. Some of the kills are super gnarly and gory (especially when the explosives come out), and we get a flamethrower battle for the ages. There’s also a one-on-one bout that Eve faces at the start of the third act that fans will be so excited for. It brings the franchise together in a fun way and sees two very skilled fighters duke it out with very little pullback.
Ballerina isn’t without its flaws that mainly stem from a lackluster story that doesn’t tread much new ground. But, it’s hard to come away disappointed since de Armas makes the most of what she’s given and the franchise’s action provides some wildly fun moments that fans will thoroughly enjoy.
