Review: 'Ballerina' - Ana de Armas Delivers Lethal Elegance in a Familiar but Fierce John Wick Spin-Off
- Details
- Category: New Series and Movie Reviews
- Published: Wednesday, 04 June 2025 15:07
- Written by Lupe R Haas
BALLERINA arrives as the latest brutal ballet from the world of John Wick, this time shifting focus to Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro—a vengeance-driven assassin-in-training whose rage-fueled mission cuts a bloody path through the shadows of the Ruska Roma. FROM THE WORLD OF JOHN WICK: BALLERINA doesn't reinvent the franchise formula; it delivers what Wick fans crave: relentless action, elegant violence, and a compelling new face of fury.
Ana de Armas: The Weapon of Choice
Ana de Armas is the movie. She takes center stage and carries BALLERINA’s weight with a fierce and fluid performance. From the first blow to the final shot, de Armas commands attention with a captivating, lethal grace that feels perfectly suited for the assassin's world. Despite her admission to CineMovie that she's "not athletic," her commitment and training shine through in each seamless fight sequence. The choreography is clearly crafted for her strengths—and it shows. Eve's fighting improves once she receives sounds advice from one of her mentors, "fight like a girl."
With past action credits in NO TIME TO DIE, THE GRAY MAN, and GHOSTED, Ana proves once again she’s more than capable of leading an action film. As Eve, she trades John Wick’s (Keanu Reeves) icy precision for raw emotion and barely-contained rage, making her battles even more visceral and unpredictable.
Respecting the Wick Legacy
Director Len Wiseman (UNDERWORLD) wisely resists the urge to imprint his own style and instead leans fully into the established John Wick aesthetic: grounded, brutal, and elegant. The long-take action scenes are back, uncut and unfiltered, and we often see Ana herself executing the choreography—giving the film a tangible edge of realism.
A Familiar Formula
Where BALLERINA falters is in its storytelling. The plot—a tale of vengeance, survival, and secret societies—is formulaic and lacks emotional resonance. Newcomers might find the story thin, but longtime Wick fans are likely here for the gun-fu and globe-trotting mythology, not Oscar-worthy depth.
The film does, however, expand the Wick universe in exciting ways, introducing a new threat in Gabriel Byrne’s sinister Chancellor, while returning fan favorites like Anjelica Huston as The Director, who continues to dominate without lifting a weapon. Keanu Reeves shows up in a significant capacity, and his showdown with de Armas is worth the price of admission alone—controlled, powerful, and full of history.
Quick Cameos and Missed Opportunities
The Walking Dead's Norman Reedus makes a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance, but his brief shootout still leaves a mark. It's a shame he wasn’t used more, as his gritty presence would’ve complemented the Wick-verse nicely.
Final Verdict
BALLERINA isn’t here to reinvent the wheel, but it does polish it with sleek, savage style. With Ana de Armas at the helm, the film earns its place in the John Wick canon. The story may be forgettable, but the action—and Ana—are unforgettable.