Dir: Len Wiseman
Cast: Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, Keanu Reeves
It may be the weakest entry in the John Wick franchise on account of major reshoots, but the relentless action and an ass-kicking Ana de Armas more than make amends for the spin-off’s narrative shortcomings
In 2014, the action genre was introduced to one of its most formidable killers: the sleek and stylish assassin, John Wick. Keanu Reeves, who had been a major Hollywood star throughout the 1990s and 2000s, saw his popularity decline significantly by the 2010s. However, the release of the neo-noir action film “John Wick” played a crucial role in revitalising the 60-year-old actor’s career.
Directed by Chad Stahelski, who served as Keanu Reeves’ stuntman on “The Matrix” franchise, “John Wick” introduced audiences to a gritty yet meticulously crafted underworld hidden within New York’s criminal scene. What began as a straightforward quest for revenge quickly escalated into an expansive, globetrotting adventure of freedom and fulfilment for the world’s greatest assassin. The success of the franchise has led to the creation of five films to date, along with a television series focusing on the iconic fictional hotel chain, “The Continental”. While the latest project in this beloved cult franchise diverges from John Wick’s journey of redemption, it still dives deeply into the intriguing world of gold currency, blood markers, and assassin syndicates.
There has been discussion about a potential spin-off in the “John Wick” universe for several years. Screenwriter Shay Hatten initially wrote a script for “Ballerina” back in 2017, having been inspired by the balletic style of Keanu Reeves’ gun-toting assassin in the franchise’s second instalment, “John Wick: Chapter 2”. Lionsgate acquired the script in 2019, leading to the introduction of a ballerina-assassin in “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” (2019), featuring a brief appearance by real-life ballerina Unity Phelan.
With the project officially greenlit, Chad Stahelski passed the directing duties to Len Wiseman, largely known for his work on the “Underworld” vampire-action franchise. After an extensive and troubled production, “Ballerina” is finally being shown in cinemas, with Ana de Armas taking on the role of the titular assassin. Her casting has proven popular, with her brief but memorable cameo as Paloma in the recent James Bond film, “No Time to Die” (2021) proving that she is more than capable of kicking ass on the big screen.
Before we geta glimpse of Ana de Armas in her first lead action role, we are introduced to her character, Eve Macarro, 20 years earlier while she is in hiding with her father, Javier (David Castaneda). A young Eve and Javier have gone on the run from a feared and lawless syndicate known as the “Cult”, which killed Eve’s mother. The Cult’s Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne) seeks to retrieve Eve to raise her for his own purposes. After escaping an ambush by the Cult that results in her father’s death, Eve is taken in by Winston (Ian McShane), the owner of the New York Continental, who introduces her to the Ruska Roma family of assassins.
Over the next 12 years, Eve trains as both a ballerina and an assassin under the guidance of the Director (Anjelica Huston), during which she even has a brief encounter with John Wick (Keanu Reeves), who encourages her to abandon her violent path of vengeance. Eve eventually graduates as a kikimora assassin, but after an attack from a Cultist, she seeks information about the Cult’s whereabouts. However, the Director forbids her from pursuing the Cult due to a longstanding truce between the two criminal organizations.
Defying the Director’s orders, Eve, with assistance from Winston and the Continental’s concierge, Charon (Lance Reddick), manages to locate Daniel Pine (Norman Reedus), a rogue Cult member in Prague. Sympathising with his situation, as he too has fled the Cult with his daughter, Eve attempts to help them escape before they are confronted by a large number of the Chancellor’s assassins.
While I have thoroughly enjoyed all four movies in the “John Wick” franchise up to this point, I felt unexpectedly anxious going into the opening night screening of “Ballerina”. This apprehension stemmed primarily from the numerous reshoots that took place after early test screenings received negative feedback. When a production undergoes late rewrites or extensive reshoots, it often suggests that the film has not met the producers’ standards—in this case, Chad Stahelski.
Reports indicate that Stahelski oversaw two to three months of reshoots without the involvement of director Len Wiseman. This lack of cohesion between the series creator and the newly appointed director is evident in the film’s messy and uninspired narrative. Although “Ballerina” attempts to evoke the straightforward storytelling of the revenge-driven first instalment, it fails to successfully integrate this approach into the expanding universe of the “John Wick” franchise, which has been carefully developed over the past four films.
I do believe that the vengeance theme remains engaging, as it was the foundation of the entire franchise. However, the first act, which establishes Eve’s quest for revenge, feels unnecessarily rushed, especially considering the film’s ample 125-minute runtime.
It is difficult to determine how much Wiseman contributed to the final product, but there is an overall lack of visual flair—something that has only become more pronounced throughout the franchise over the years. Despite their relatively modest budgets, given their scope and style, the franchise has demonstrated what great location scouting can achieve, with several iconic action set pieces over the years drenched in vibrant neon colours and lavish set design. While the action scenes in “Ballerina” are well shot, the few quieter moments are largely drab in comparison, both thematically and visually.
As a “John Wick” film, however, one crucial aspect defines the movie’s success: the action. Thankfully, with Chad Stahelski returning to the franchise unexpectedly, the action is stellar throughout. Our titular heroine utilises her balletic skills to infuse fluidity into the action and adopts a completely different fighting style from John Wick, keeping things fresh and original. It is mentioned in the first act that due to her petite stature, Eve is likely to be overpowered by most assailants unless she learns to improvise and fight dirty. By incorporating her surroundings to her advantage, her fighting style exhibits an element of Jackie Chan-esque opportunism, making for entertaining and occasionally hilarious viewing. Two set pieces, in particular, stand out among the franchise’s best: one involving the solitary use of grenades and another featuring two flamethrowers against each other, along with a hose pipe.
While the focus is primarily on Ana de Armas, who demonstrates that her brief appearance in James Bond was not just a fluke and that she can lead an action film on her own, it is also great to see series regulars make a return, particularly Lance Reddick in his final film role. Unfortunately for de Armas and Lionsgate, the opening weekend numbers have been somewhat underwhelming. While there are discussions about Reeves returning for “John Wick 5”, it seems unlikely that the “Knives Out” star will reprise her role in the franchise, at least not as a lead. This is a great shame, considering the action talent she has showcased twice now. Worryingly, as seen with films like “Thunderbolts*” and “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” over the past year, audiences, for some reason, do not seem to support female-led action films.
The Verdict:
By trying to fit the complex and expansive world of the “John Wick” franchise into a relatively straightforward revenge story, this troubled spin-off may end up being the weakest entry in what is otherwise an exceptionally strong action series. That said, it is a challenging standard to meet. The action sequences mostly deliver the expected intensity, violence and creativity associated with the franchise, and it will be intriguing to see how this affects the future of the series.
Ballerina is now showing in UK Cinemas
Dan Loves Film 