Ballerina Isn’t John Wick With Heels—She’s Something Smarter

I’m a huge John Wick fan. Other than maybe Mission: Impossible, I think it’s the best pure action franchise around. These films haven’t let me down yet, so of course I’ve been dying to see the new spinoff, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina. I was sure this movie would deliver all the mesmerizing action and fun world-building that have made the main series so successful, so when tickets went on sale, I booked a seat for opening night as soon as I got the chance.

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina was directed by Len Wiseman, and it stars Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, and Keanu Reeves. In the film, Eve Macarro, the titular ballerina, was raised by the Ruska Roma, the same family that trained John Wick. But surprisingly, she’s not an assassin. Rather, she’s a protector, so instead of being assigned targets to kill, she has to keep her targets from being killed.

During one of her missions, Eve comes across a member of the organization that murdered her father many years ago, and that encounter enkindles a thirst for vengeance in the woman. She sets out to learn more about these people and find their leader, and…well, I’m sure you can figure out for yourself how the rest of the story plays out.

I’m not going to lie, Ballerina isn’t going to win any awards for its screenplay. The story is as shallow as it sounds, and while there’s a tiny bit more substance here than you might expect, it’s only a bit. Nobody is going to see this movie for the plot, so if you’re looking for something that will challenge you intellectually and force you to think more deeply about everything you hold dear, you’re going to be pretty disappointed.

To the surprise of no one, the real draw here is the action, and on that count, Ballerina absolutely shines. In typical John Wick fashion, we get everything from guns to hand-to-hand-combat to improvised weapons, and it’s all choreographed and executed to perfection.

In fact, I’d even say there’s a real beauty to all this violence. There’s a reason why martial arts are called martial arts, and I’m not just talking about unarmed combat styles like judo and karate. Even in weapons-based systems like kendo and fencing, well-executed moves can be genuine wonders to behold, and like all the other films in this franchise, Ballerina puts that beauty on full display.

That being said, even the best action is only as good as the cinematography that captures it. Western movies often chop their fights up with so many cuts you can’t really tell what’s going on, and when that happens, it can completely ruin what would’ve otherwise been a great experience. It’s the bane of this entire genre, but thankfully, Ballerina avoids that all-too-common pitfall. You can see every stab, kick, and throw in all its glory, so fans are definitely going to get their money’s worth.

Along somewhat similar lines, the action here is also much more intelligent than you might be expecting. Female-centric action films often get criticized for unrealistically depicting women tossing around big, strong men like ragdolls, but this one takes a different approach. It understands that Eve will always be at a physical disadvantage in almost any fight, so it portrays her as a cunning, smart fighter who will do whatever it takes to get the upper hand.

She’ll use anything she can as a weapon, and when all else fails, she has no qualms about fighting dirty. There are even a number of times when her male opponents overpower her and gain a temporary advantage, so she’s way more than just John Wick with two X chromosomes. Eve has a style all her own, complete with her own set of strengths and weaknesses, so seeing her practice her craft is a very different experience from seeing the Baba Yaga show why he’s the most feared assassin on the planet.

Last but not least, I want to say a few words about some of the characters in Ballerina. Most obviously, we have to talk about Eve, the titular ballerina herself. She’s played by Ana de Armas, and this woman is wonderful in the role. Not only does she prove herself to be a genuine action star, but she also has that intangible “it” factor that makes her character incredibly likable and super easy to root for.

To be fair, part of that comes from Eve’s tragic backstory, and some of it is connected to a little girl Eve has to protect, but most of it is de Armas’s great performance. Even without much help from the script, she still manages to make the ballerina feel like a real person rather than a generic cardboard cutout, and that injects the story with a sense of humanity that most lesser action flicks only wish they could achieve.

Ballerina also features a handful of John Wick staples, like Winston (the manager of the Continental), his faithful concierge Charon, and John Wick himself. None of those side characters have huge roles in the movie (although John has some great action scenes!), but for fans of the franchise, they add a sense of familiarity that makes the whole experience go down that much more smoothly.

At the end of the day, I can’t quite say that Ballerina is one of the best films of the year. It just doesn’t have enough moral and thematic substance to stand alongside movies like There’s Still Tomorrow, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, and Bring Her Back. But the way I see it, that’s okay. Ballerina shines as a showcase for its gorgeous action, and with just enough storytelling substance to keep it afloat, fans of the genre are sure to eat this film up.