From The World Of John Wick- Ballerina Movie Review: Does It Match Up to John Wick's Legacy?

The movie feels fresh and crisp, full of energy, action, and everything you could want. It’s called "Ballerina." That’s the official title, but for marketing, they're using "From the World of John Wick: Ballerina." You must have heard of John Wick, a super cool action franchise with four parts already released. People thought it might end with the fourth, but the fifth is in the works. Ballerina is a spin-off set somewhere between John Wick parts three and four. But if you haven't seen any John Wick movies, don’t worry, you don’t need to invest time watching those before seeing Ballerina. Now, here’s the most important and helpful thing about this blog: if you’re watching this movie only for John Wick, you’re going to be disappointed.

In India, John Wick is a huge deal. He’s Baba Yaga himself, the boogeyman. But in this 2 hour and 7-minute movie, John Wick appears for maybe 10 to 12 minutes. So if you're there just for him, you’ll probably feel let down. The movie is named after Ballerina, the heroine, and the story revolves around her. She had a big tragedy in her childhood. She was raised by a family, not the Dominik family you might be thinking of, but a very tight-knit one. After growing up, Eve became a trained assassin and mafia enforcer. She goes on different missions, but one day something happens that drags her past into the present, causing so much chaos that even the Lord himself, John Wick, has to step in. I’m not spoiling anything this was revealed in the trailer. Overall, the story is decent. John Wick’s franchise isn’t known for deep storytelling; it’s simple, straightforward, full-on action, and that’s what works.

The usual John Wick setup is that the whole world is after him, not to kill him, but to take him down. The villains are unique and interesting, but Ballerina tries to create something different inspired by that setup, and it works. Sometimes the way information is fed feels a bit heavy-handed, but that's not a deal-breaker. The movie’s main selling points are three things. First, the action, which was fantastic, really, really good. The use of grenades and explosions gave a real impact. You’ll be impressed by the slick hand-to-hand combat moves and high-energy, shocking shots. You’ll think, “Wow, that was some serious throwing!” The second selling point is the lead actress, Ana de Armas, who carried the whole film. The character fights the whole world, taking bullets, knives, bombs, yet her makeup stays perfect.

Back to the action: there are three or four shots where objects are picked up and thrown with such style and power that you’ll be surprised. And the reason behind that power? Ana de Armas. She’s so slim and delicate, and the movie cleverly sets up her character’s struggle, she’s a girl with limited strength who has to fight men. So she fights like a girl, and when her opponent is a muscular man, the contrast is fun to watch. This brings us to the third selling point: John Wick. He doesn’t have much screen time, but when he appears and takes action, I want to say, call it humiliation rather than action. The goal isn’t just to kill the opponent but to embarrass them. That’s the vibe.

When you bring such a powerful character into a spin-off, don’t reduce his power, let the main character shine. Here, it’s clear that if John Wick really gets involved, the movie could end in two minutes. The movie also references some real-world elements related to John Wick’s reputation. I won’t spoil that, but to make Ballerina a good movie, they had to tick some boxes: great action, a strong lead actor who’s enjoyable to watch, and the right music. Plus, a bit of John Wick’s magic sprinkled in. That’s why it provides solid entertainment. Of course, every movie has some flaws. For example, the flamethrower action at the start looked very cool but dragged on a bit too long. There are a few other minor negatives I mentioned in this blog, so keep those in mind. Also, don’t expect a masterpiece, if you know that going in, you’ll have a much better experience. For an action movie, Ballerina is a solid watch. I saw Ana de Armas in action before in "No Time To Die" with James Bond, and I loved it. This movie continued to impress me.