An acrobatic and hard-charging revenge tale told in the John Wick universe
Eve is a young girl living with her father when armed men come to their home and kill him. Their leader (Gabriel Byrne) says that he tried to take her away from their “family.” He fights valiantly enough for them to escape, but succumbs to his wounds. She is met in the hospital by a strange man named Winston (Ian McShane) who promises to bring her to her real family. She is chosen by a woman known as The Director (Anjelica Huston) and recruited into the Ruska Roma family of assassins.
The film stays true to the John Wick formula. The first act establishes Eve (Ana de Armas) and her backstory, leading up through her training and her first contract. The second act is her going off on her own to find those responsible for her father’s murder. The third act is the absolute violence and mayhem that defines the “Gun Fu” action style synonymous with the franchise.
De Armas is great as Eve. Most of the supporting cast will be familiar to viewers, as characters like Winston, The Director, and Charon (the late, wonderful Lance Reddick) have roles in the film. Even The Continental plays its part. (Ballerina takes place between John Wick 3: Parabellum and John Wick 4.) Some new faces join the cast like Norman Reedus’ Daniel Pine, Juliet Doherty’s Tatiana, and Ava McCarthy’s Ella.
Ballerina isn’t a copycat of John Wick. The fight scenes are different, as Eve is (rather heavy handedly) told to fight like a girl. Her fight style is as chaotic but slightly more controlled than Keanu Reeves’ Wick. Where the movie finds its stride is in some of the signature stunt work (much of which de Armas did hereself). Katana swords, ice skates, flamethrowers, butcher knives, and plenty of firearms are involved in the over-the-top action. The film contains some of the most creative grenade kills around.
Ballerina is adapted from a standalone screenplay by Shay Hatten, and directed by Len Wiseman. There were reports of extensive reshoots from producer Chad Stahelski (who directed the John Wick movies and sought to protect the franchise from any bad reviews. Stahelski (who was Brandon Lee’s stunt double on The Crow) and Reeves are the faces of the John Wick brand.) Despite its sometimes frenetic pace, Ballerina never suffers from super quick shots, and never feels like a two-hour music video.
One standout of the film is the Tyler Bates/Joel J. Richard soundtrack. Tchaikovsky and Vivaldi are heavily spotlighted, but rock songs from Evanescence and Halsey add to the mix, along with Ashnikko and Le Castle Vania.
Reeves can’t play Wick forever. These movies take a terrible toll on all of the stunt performers and Reeves has filmed his Gun Fu for over a decade. Ballerina’s exotic cars, fantastic locations, and signature stunts give it a stylistic set of visuals reminiscent of James Bond. If the torch is getting passed, de Armas is well equipped to carry it.
Ballerina is in theaters and is available on Amazon Prime.