The latest entry into the kinetic and often frenetic franchise of the John Wick series, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, is nothing short of gobsmacking.
What a world this is.
Beginning over 10 years ago, the mind-blowing action of the first John Wick blew audiences away.
Writer Derek Kolstad and director Chad Stahelski created one of the most enjoyable action film series in recent history.
The first Wick was a solid R-rated, fast-paced, no-holds-barred, violent romp of headshots, broken bones, and bonkers, over-the-top fight choreography.
The series continued, with Stahelski at the helm. He would also eventually produce parts 3 and 4,
He also became caretaker of the entire franchise. As a whole, he made certain that the John Wick franchise always raised the bar with every installment over the last decade.
The franchise ensured that American action films were on a more even ground with the action/kung-fu/gunfight films that Hong Kong was producing in the 80s and 90s.
That brings us to Ballerina. This movie was everything I could have ever hoped for and more. Ana de Armas is perfectly cast as the stunning protagonist, Eve. Not to sound too cliche, but she is as deadly as she is beautiful. She is every measure, a worthy comrade in arms to The Baba Yaga himself.
Ana’s character Eve is a part of the world we got a glimpse of in John Wick 3: Parabellum when Wick returns home to his Ruska Roma family to seek safe passage to Casablanca. He meets with the head of the family, The Director, perfectly casting Anjelica Huston in the role.
In that film, actress Unity Phelan’s ballerina character Rooney is covered in tattoos and seen performing a difficult turn repeatedly in the background, onstage. Her legs are covered with bruises from her intense practice routine. Later, as Wick and The Director walk to her office, we see behind the scenes of the brutal and exhausting physical training the dancers undergo.
This is the world Eve is raised in.
After a tragic incident that leaves her orphaned, Eve is rescued by Winson, The Continental’s overseer, once again played by Ian McShane. He brings young Eve to meet The Director. She sees in Eve an intensity and promise that Eve may one day be one of the Ruska Roma’s elite assassins and protectors. Eve is trained not only in the excruciating demands of the Russian Ballet but also in the art and skill of a fighter and killer elite.
In Ballerina, we get to see this world fleshed out as Eve goes from timid and scared to a scrappy, unconventional fighter who learns to use her disadvantages and weaknesses to her advantage.
She excels in her disciplines through the intensity of what the “dancers” are put through. Now matured, she eventually seeks out the man who turned her world upside down as a child. Her path of revenge and justice pushes her abilities and her loyalties to the point of no return. What she uncovers is a vast and intricate web of knots that she must untie if she ever wants to know the truth.
The film was initially directed by Underworld franchise writer, director, and producer Len Wiseman. It is rumored that it was taken away from him, and extensive reshoots were done by the aforementioned overseer of the Wick World, Chad Stahelski.
Stahelski, after watching Wiseman’s final cut was found it to be “a mess” and possibly a “franchise killer”. The initial Summer of 2024 release was canceled and pushed back to this week after extensive re-shoots and re-edits were performed to bring it up to the caliber of the rest of the John Wick installments.
Whatever they did, they did it damn well.
This film flawlessly and effortlessly snuggles between the third and fourth Wick films. We even get some nice dovetailing of Ballerina into the timeline of Parabellum. It is a fantastic action film and a great expansion of the John Wick universe.
The action is off the chain, and the stunt work is incredible. It is everything one should expect from this franchise, and there is going to be some stuff you won’t believe they were able to do. It is hard because I don’t want to spoil any of the bonkers shit they pull off in this film. There are genuine surprises and some familiar comfort sequences for the audiences to nestle into to reassure them that this is indeed a “John Wick” film.
I would 1000% watch a series of Ballerina based films and watch Eve go to town on the evildoers of the world. I also hope that this film does gangbusters at the box office and proves to Hollywood that you CAN have a woman-led action film because it doesn’t matter who is in the lead if you have a great, well-thought-out script, beautifully choreographed action sequences that are fast paced without multiple edits and clear to watch, phenomenal cinematography, and striking production design.
If you are a fan of the John Wick films, then I can not recommend this film to you more.
Honestly, were it possible, I would have just sat in my seat and waited for the next showing of this film. Alas, it was a press screening, so that was impossible. I am definitely heading back to the theater again to watch Ana de Armas whoop ass, and burn the place down the only way she knows how; beautifully.
* * * * *
Produced by Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee,Chad Stahelski
Written by Shay Hatten
Based on Characters by Derek Kolstad
Directed by Len Wiseman
Starring Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne,
Lance Reddick, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, Keanu Reeves
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