Ballerina might have a lot of great action sequences that get the blood pumping, but that is about all it delivers on as the plot is a predictable mess.
Ballerina takes place in the John Wick universe – during John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, to be exact. Ana de Armas stars as Eve Macarro, and we follow her on her journey to becoming an assassin. Yes, Keanu Reeves shows up, and honestly, he was in this movie far more than I expected him to be.
While there are some unforgettable (and really fun) action sequences, that is about all this movie has going for it. There are several massive action set pieces, each one crazier than the last, but even they tend to go on for just a little bit too long. Ballerina clocks in at ninety minutes, but it feels much longer than that. This is likely because of the plot, if you can call it that, which is not just messy and barely there it is quite predictable as well.
There is one massive “reveal,” but I saw it coming from a mile away. I will not say what it is here, to potentially keep it a surprise for some, but I had it figured out very early on, so that big moment was a nothing burger for me. Even so, it seemed like the story surrounding that should have been a much bigger deal, but the movie drops the ball. It kind of breezes over it and nothing comes of it because it uses that time to squeeze in yet another fight sequence.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good fight in a movie, especially one that uses the characters’ surroundings to make it more intense, exciting, and unique, but there also has to be some substance to the film in order for it to work. All of these scenes were a hit for me, but like I said, some (especially towards the end of the movie) tend to go on way past when they should have.
Ana de Armas does her best to lead Ballerina, but she never fully gets there either. Perhaps it is the writing, or the many reshoots they put her through, but she even seems to give up partway through the movie. If your main character does not have her heart in it, there is simply nothing you can do. That said, I did really enjoy the fight scene between her and John Wick – easily the best moment of the film.
As someone who has never seen a John Wick movie but knows enough about the lore, I found myself having a hard time fully understanding the movie. Ballerina could have (and should have) been a way to usher new fans into the franchise. Instead, they do not explain several crucial elements at all, or until it is way too far into the story. For example, the significance of the coin and the rules of the Continental are far less effective because they are not discussed in detail.
While the action is fun, it teeters on the line of being too ridiculous. The weak plot is the biggest downfall of Ballerina, because it is not only predictable, but messy and honestly, barely there. They tried, but this one just is not it.
Unfortunately, Ballerina feels like the definition of a cash grab. Trying to expand the John Wick universe to keep longtime fans holding on and bring in new ones. That said, I would like to see more of de Armas as Eve, if they give her a story worth telling.
From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina hits theaters on June 6.
NEXT: Havoc Movie Review: Filled With Bloody, Action-Packed Fights
About Ballerina
Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, the film follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.
