From the World of John Wick: Ballerina

After four movies, the world of John Wick has gotten a lot of mileage from what began as a simple revenge tale about a guy avenging his puppy. After leaving more bodies in his wake than we can count, Wick probably needed a break—I mean, did you see those stairs he fell down in the last chapter? Just like a good tag team in wrestling, Eve has been tagged in to enter the ring, and she’s ready to rack up her own body count in the name of vengeance. Ballerina represents the John Wick franchise reaching its potential for expansion—and if you’re a fan of the series, buckle up. You’re going to enjoy this one.

One night in a remote location, a man and his daughter enjoy a quiet evening at home. That peace is shattered by a group of assassins sent to kill the man. Though he puts up a fight, only his daughter survives. At the hospital, she meets a man named Winston (Ian McShane), who takes her to the Ruska Roma, where she will be trained and cared for. As she grows older, Eve (Ana de Armas) excels, driven by the rage and sorrow inside her. The Director (Anjelica Huston) eventually deems her ready to begin her work. But despite her success, Eve has never forgotten the night her father died. When she notices a familiar mark on a man, it reignites her quest for revenge—specifically against The Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne), the man responsible for her father’s death. Against The Director’s wishes, she goes rogue to find him.

Written by Shay Hatten, Ballerina feels very much like a John Wick movie—which is a good thing, especially for a film branded “From the World of John Wick.” Hatten, who also wrote John Wick: Chapter 3 and Chapter 4, brings back the familiar mix of sharp comedy and heightened absurdity. The first act does get a bit bogged down, as Hatten front-loads a lot of exposition, making Ballerina feel like it has more plot than any Wick film before it. But let’s be honest—you don’t come to a John Wick movie for plot. Thankfully, the final hour and a half delivers exactly what we’re there for.

Ballerina doesn’t boast the most original storyline, but where it shines is in its action set pieces. Some of the early scenes feel a little clunky and lack the clean, long-take choreography we’ve come to expect. That changes once Eve proves herself in the field, and then it’s all flying fists and fluid gunplay from there. That said, Eve isn’t just a female John Wick. Hatten has crafted a character with her own emotional depth and vulnerabilities, and Ana de Armas plays her with strength and subtlety. She proves she’s more than ready to be an action star and gives a performance that makes Eve a welcomed and worthy addition to the “Wickiverse”.

As much as I love Keanu Reeves as Wick, his cameo here doesn’t really help the film. In fact, it may even weigh it down a bit—de Armas is more than capable of carrying the film on her own. Still, Ballerina is a solid John Wick movie. It expands the universe and its mythology while also delivering an often exhilarating action ride. I’ll end with this: if Wick really is headed for retirement, Ana de Armas and her character are more than ready to take the baton and keep the franchise going strong.