Review: "Ballerina" (2025)
Lionsgate's latest John Wick spinoff mostly delivers with its fast, furious action and a committed performance by Ana de Armas.
I’ll admit that I was skeptical when I heard that Lionsgate was greenlighting a spinoff in the John Wick cinematic universe. Keanu’s absence would surely be missed….right? It just wouldn’t be the same. Well, I was (for the most part) proven wrong with Len Wiseman’s latest flick, centered on assassin Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), a member of the Ruska Roma, an organization that trains ballerinas in the art of dance and the swift deliverance of death. Eve, who lost her father to the hands of a dangerous cult when she was a child, begins a new mission to avenge her father’s murder and eliminate the cult and its ruthless Director (Gabriel Byrne).
Don’t expect the story and plot to be anything special. The script does not offer many surprises; it’s more or less an average, by-the-numbers, and fairly predictable revenge tale.
However, as a fan of the John Wick franchise, I don’t necessarily flock to these films for story. I come for the action. And Ballerina wholly delivers on that front. While the first act is a bit clunky, once the action kicks in, it puts the pedal to the metal.
The violence in this entry is mean and extremely brutal, much more so than the Wick saga. The set pieces are excellently choreographed, shot and very entertaining to experience, particularly on the big screen. One particular sequence involving a flamethrower is almost certainly one of this franchise’s very best and most exhilarating moments thus far.
Ana de Armas is terrific, although that should not come as a surprise. Armas builds a character tormented by grief and consumed with rage, and delivers a performance that showcases her excellent emotional range through her acting and through the chaotic, often savage carnage that her character leaves in her vengeful wake.
And as much as the marketing promotes a climactic fight between Eve and John Wick, I would not go in expecting much. It’s not a lengthy sequence, but it is effective in another way (I won’t spoil how). Keanu is awesome though, as always, despite his very brief screen time.
But this film is all about Eve (hehe get it?), and while it may not offer much in its script, and while it does hit many familiar beats, Ana de Armas makes it her own and effortlessly carries the film through her impressive lead performance. But for fans of the franchise and fans of bloody, visceral action cinema, you surely cannot go wrong with this one. While John Wick’s story is complete (?), I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next in this cinematic universe. Bring it on.
