If you told me in 2014 that John Wick would not only spurn a great action franchise, but also get a spinoff TV show and film, I don't think I'd believe you. But here we are, the four John Wick films are some of the defining action films of the past decade and now we have Ballerina, a film that brings us back to John Wick world with a new protagonist.
I'll get it out of the way right now, this is a pretty clear step down from any of the John Wick movies. Whether it be not focusing on Keanu Reeves' iconic character or a change in the director's chair from Chad Stahelski, this is just doesn't quite reach those heights. That being said, it's much better than I thought it would be.
The film opens on Eve Macarro as a young girl. Her father is killed in front of her and she is taken in by Ian McShane's Winston who takes her to be trained in the ways of the Ruska Roma, a group of assassins who just so happen to also partake in ballet. When a target shows up a decade later with a scar matching that of the men who killed her father, she is set on a revenge spree the likes of which the franchise has become known for.
The adult Eve is played by Ana de Armas, the star of Knives Out and an Oscar nominee as Marilyn Monroe in the controversial Blonde. I'm a fan of de Armas, although I find her acting can be a bit hit or miss. She doesn't command the screen like Keanu but I thought she was a solid lead here. The character of John Wick always felt like an unstoppable force, and Eve is very much not that. She gets her ass handed to her from time to time, but that gives the action a different vibe which I think it needed to not falter in the shadow of its predecessors. I do wish we got more character to Eve, but de Armas does a good job with what she's given. This is set during the timeframe of the third John Wick film so we actually get some Keanu Reeves moments, and I'm a bit mixed in my feelings on his inclusion. A small cameo I think would be fine, but having him in a handful of scenes almost steals the show from de Armas in what is supposed to be a new story in this world. That being said, it's Keanu playing John Wick so I'll never be upset by that. The late Lance Reddick is great in his role as always, as are Ian McShane and Anjelica Houston in their recurring roles. The only really notable additions are Gabriel Byrne as a pretty standard villain and Norman Reedus as an underused side character.
One thing I loved was the expansion of the world this gives the series. Eve essentially goes up against a mercenary cult stowed away in a remote European village, and it makes for a great setting for a big finale. There's a good balance of playing in the world we know already and bringing in new things which I enjoyed. The action doesn't have the sharply choreographed brutality of the other films, thanks in part to Eve being less of an imposing character, but that's made up for with some more creative action. There are some moments involving flamethrowers in particular that I had a lot of fun with. I did find that the finale and some moments before dragged on too long, leading to a runtime that's just a bit too long, but for the most part I appreciated the action.
The ending I think leaves a lot to be desired as it feels a bit too familiar, and as a whole this just isn't as good as the rest of the franchise. However, I found it to be a surprisingly welcome addition to the series, delivering good action and a way for the franchise to move forward without needing to focus on John Wick himself. 3.5/5
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