For anyone jonesing for more John Wick action and kills, Lionsgate presents Ballerina. The John Wick franchise has never given its fans a complete origin story of its infamous and legendary “Baba Yaga.” Instead, the creative minds behind the franchise and this new spin-off film have decided to tell the origin story of a different legend-in-the-making. This plan may initially seem disappointing; however, the filmmakers behind Ballerina know what they’re doing and deliver an exciting and fun story on par with the likes of the Wick franchise.
Ballerina takes place before and during the John Wick movies. At the beginning, the film introduces a child named Eve Macarro (Victoria Comte) and her father Javier (David Castaneda). Javier and Eve are in hiding, but their enemies soon catch up with them. Though Eve manages to escape the attackers, her father dies protecting her. Winston Scott (Ian McShane), the owner of the Continental Hotel, quickly rescues her.
Winston finds Eve a new home under the care of the criminal organization known as the Rusca Roma, where she begins a strict and intensive training regimen as both a ballerina and an assassin. When grown-up Eve (Ana de Armas) completes her training and begins work as a Rusca Roma killer and protector, she decides to seek revenge on the man who killed her father. The killer is a man known as the Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne).
Although the revenge story is familiar, and the Ballerina’s origin story bears resemblance to a hard-R version of Marvel’s Black Widow, the exceptionally executed, filmed, and edited action is, alone, worth the price of admission. The identical high-quality action sequences, fight choreography, and gruesome kills that earned the John Wick franchise its ardent following will captivate fans of this fun and exciting new character who can hold her own. I had such a great time with this movie. The film continues to enrich the world of John Wick with a more extensive look into the Rusca Roma, the rigorous training, and more time spent with the assassin who won our hearts in 2014, John Wick (Keanu Reeves).
And although it is wonderful to have him back, the leading and other supporting cast members of Ballerina are also a lot of fun to watch. Angelica Huston is fantastic as the cold, calculating, and no-nonsense Director of the Rusca Roma. Gabriel Byrne delivers a fierce sneer as the Chancellor, the man responsible for Eve’s father’s death. However, it is also great to see returning cast members Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, and the late Lance Reddick.
As for the title role, Ana de Armas is magnificent as Eve, the Ballerina. She brings a mix of fiery intensity and steely coolness to her character. She has put in the work to master the soul and skills of the Ballerina, and it genuinely shows. Ballerina is now playing in theaters and is worth checking out during its theatrical run.