Ballerina

Entertaining enough spin-off that features great stunts and action sequences one would expect from the franchise and while the story isn't terribly strong (to be fair none of the JW movies had amazing plots), it was a solid time-waster and Ana de Armas was fairly good in the lead. Reeves for his part probably had about 10-minutes of screen time and likely collected a nice paycheck for a day or two of filming. I won't say it broke new ground however I did think it was a step up from John Wick: Chapter 4. **3.5/5**

This isn’t a film, it’s a live action video game with a predictable plot and loads of energetically choreographed CGI to substitute for anything vaguely akin to a story. It starts with the young “Eve” (Victoria Comte) who witnesses her father’s death at the hands of “The Chancellor” (Gabriel Byrne) before being adopted into the secret society of “John Wick” by “Winston” (Ian McShane) and his drag-like boss (Angelica Huston) where she learns to combine the artistic skills of a ballerina with deadly ninja ones - as she morphs into Ana de Armas (whilst everyone else remains exactly the same). Anyway, none of that really matters as she accidentally discovers the identity of the tribe who ruined her life and despite warnings of dire consequences, sets off on a lethal mission of retribution that takes her to a Czech Republic where everyone speaks perfect English. The thing is, it appears that her gang and the one she is pursuing have a sort of unwritten truce, and given she is about to throw that under the Skoda, Angelica has no choice other than to bring out of retirement the legendary you know who. Will that make anything any different or safer or even less repetitive? It not so much that this is derivative and really quite dull, it’s that the dialogue is woeful and the constant frying pan to fire scenarios where people get used and abused are ridiculous. Knives, guns, bottles, pots, pans, kettles - even a pair of ruthlessly applied roller skates and some flamer throwers help our heroine along but it’s hilarious that they always appear just when she needs them. She’s got the points and gone up a level, She also heals as if she were the sister of “Wolverine” and no amount of training is going to remove a six inch shard of glass from your body without it impeding your ability to scale a wall and wield a pick axe. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood, but just like the series upon which this is based, it is unoriginal and after the umpteenth time she has survived against innumerable odds to fight again just had me wondering how long until she’s back with “Ballerina II - the Pirouette”. All of that said, though, it does look good on a cinema screen and that’s where it ought to be seen. It will be even more unimpressive on a television where you can easily hit the fast-forward button.

_Ballerina_ is a culmination of everything that works in the John Wick universe, but also dialed up to new heights. The movie is quite a simple vengeance story at the center which is sadly left unfulfilled but it is how well every other element of the movie is taken that makes this story actually work at the end of the day. The action is the same John Wick action we know and love but with so much more creativity infused this time around, from people popping like a balloon by way of grenade to people being lit on fire like crazy. This different approach to the action of the main John Wick films, which is often cold and very mechanical, makes Ballerina stand out on its own. Of course, _Ballerina_ also stands out because of the committed efforts of Ana de Armas as Eve who the audience actually gets to care for in the movie. That's why John Wick's inclusion here seems like a massive 4th wall break because the audience is locked into Eve and her vengeful mission. Other flaws of this movie lie in character development, balance, motivation, and redemption but also in short plot points and vague plot points. Lastly, the world building in _Ballerina_ is a healthy amount, especially for a spin-off film, making the movie that much more interesting. _Ballerina_ is another stellar addition to the John Wick universe that I hope has legs to continue in the future.

* 1. The Ballerina in the world of John Wick is a captivating character who seamlessly blends the grace of ballet with the lethality of combat, embodying the franchise's unique fusion of art and violence. Introduced in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, she enriches the series' intricate world-building by highlighting the diverse skills and backgrounds within the assassin network. Unity Phelan's portrayal is both elegant and fierce, making the Ballerina a memorable and striking addition to the John Wick universe.

This woman sure gets hit in the head a lot. TBI is real. Grenade fight! Eve's got bad grenade reaction when tables are turned. Maybe that TBI is kicking in a bit, young lady. Better start your finger games. Sure is long. So much running. Fake running. Can't fake running. Sword spinning is stupid. Dude walked right into flamethrower range, over dead bodies, paused, smiled and then flamed. Get on the finger games. This feels much longer than new avengers. Seems like flamethrower victims'd either be fine enough to kill or screaming and writhing on the floor. Dual flamethrower spin was cool. Overall, too much flamethrower. He ruined Ted. He ruined Cyberpunk. Perhaps people will see Keanu's performance as ahead of its time. Swearengen. More like Bidengen. Charon needs to be elaborately sworn in as the new guy.

I liked how there were a variety of specific weapon fights in this. Hammer fight, grenade fight, flame thrower fight. One big thing that bothers me, and has always bugged me about the John Wick movies is that there is this generic sounding rock/metal playing in the background for almost the entire duration of the movie. It really drags the whole thing down. It's funny how Norman Reedus just plays his character Daryl from the walking dead in everything he does now. This movie is ham faceable.

Fantastic opening sequence, filled with familial tenderness and then high octane action. We've a masterclass of actors gracing is with their presence, and its such a fun ride. The film has just the right amount of banter to put a smile on your face and is able to move at the "Wick Universe" speed and momentum. "Wick" fans will appreciate that the film has an underlying story, one we can all feel. This has been an adventure in pain and vengeance, treachery, and honor.

80/100 Eve Macarro, groomed as an assassin by the Ruska Roma, uses here skills to hunt the killers of her father ...making herself an enemy to everyone. The 5th installment in the John Wick franchise was a very cool, exciting high action thriller. Director Len Wiseman takes the helm and, although the style of the film is noticeably different from other Wick movies, it is no less thrilling. Ana de Armas was the perfect Eve, Gabriel Byrne was an effective villain and John Wick making an appearance to stir things up, made this a joy to watch. Waiting for the sequel. -- DrNostromo.com