From the World of John Wick: Ballerina
(dir. Len Wiseman)
By: Adam Freed
For more than a decade, the John Wick franchise has grown to epitomize the very best that the world of choreographed action violence has to offer. The magnificent ballet of brutality returns but with a heightened sense of trepidation because for the first time, Keanu Reeves’ titular John Wick, is not at the center of Ballerina. Formally titled From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, a comedically expansive moniker, likely insisted upon so that the Wick faithful can rest assured that they are indeed dining in similar environs, despite having a new face on the poster. Replacing Keanu Reeves in the protagonist’s seat of the Len Wiseman (Underworld) shoot 'em up is Ana de Armas (Deep Water, No Time to Die) a simmering star on the brink of full boiled superstardom. The Cuban / Spanish de Armas is as beautiful as Reeves is handsome, and the franchise’s willingness to maim and disfigure their title characters is one of its most endearing choices. All questions pertaining to de Armas’ ability to hold her own, given the physical demands of the “World of John Wick” can be set aside, as Eve Macarro, the stunning actress proves herself worthy of taking a boot, a blade and a bullet.
Like the character John Wick, there is a coolness to Eve’s operation, behind her hazel eyes is an emotionless shark-like indifference to the humanity of those she pursues. Ballerina begins by establishing Eve’s primary motivation. Young Eve (played by Victoria Comte) is forced to flee her expansive lakeside childhood home in order to avenge the death of her father, a man whose wealth alludes to wrong-doing, but never in the eyes of his adoring daughter. Fans awaiting the intersection between Macarro’s storyline and more familiar franchise fare don’t have to wait long, as the young lady is taken in by Ian McShane’s (John Wick, Deadwood) Winston and delivered to the Ruska Roma, an elite ballet academy that doubles as a training ground for female assassins made famous in John Wick 3: Parabellum. It is here that the legend of Eve Macarro takes form, and the parade of bodies that fall in her wake are all but movements in the Tchaikovsky inspired symphony of bloodshed she unleashes in pursuit of a Nordic cult that laid waste to her childhood.
The franchise’s continued dedication to finding innovative and visually stimulating set-pieces through which to unleash an inspiring barrage of brutality is quite enviable. In this sense, Ballerina is far from out of gas when it comes to creative and inspired weaponry. From common objects converted into the tools of tradecraft to one of the most titillating firefights in recent memory, Ballerina is exactly what action enthusiasts have been waiting for. Quite similar to Chad Stahelski’s John Wick 4 (2023), director Len Wiseman is very deliberate in the homage he pays to the work of Buster Keaton, a silent era physical comedian who conveyed oceans of meaning without a teaspoon of dialogue. By providing the concession that dialogue has never been a strength of the concussive action films, it should act as no surprise that Ballerina isn’t a film whose script is going to be lauded by critics. But the immensity of its choreography and set-piece construction far overshadows the existence of a few less than idyllic line readings. From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, is proof that there are no signs that the franchise is slowing. Quite to the contrary, the momentum that the world of Wick has gained with the casting of Ana de Armas makes another five films feel more like a probability than a possibility.
Target Score 7/10 - Guns, bombs and knives are only the tip of the ballet slipper in the Ana de Armas lead Ballerina. The captivating actress proves herself more than up to the physical and dramatic task of leading the spinoff from the world of John Wick.