Read Time: 4 min
| RELEASE DATE | 13 June 2025 |
|---|---|
| DIRECTOR | Len Wiseman |
| DISTRIBUTED BY | Starz Entertainment |
| WRITERS | Shay Hatten, Derek Kolstad |
| CAST | Ana de Armas, Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Anjelica Huston, Norman Reedus, Gabriel Byrne |
| RUNTIME | 2h 5m |
| AGE RATING | A (Adults Only) |
| GENRE | Action / Thriller |
| BUDGET | $75 million (estimated) |
Review:
With Ballerina, the John Wick universe pirouettes into uncharted territory—led by a new face, a haunting past, and the familiar rhythm of gunfire set to symphonic mayhem. Ana de Armas steps into the spotlight as Eve Macarro, an assassin sculpted by tragedy and trained under the cold steel traditions of the Ruska Roma. And from the very first beat, it’s clear: this ballerina is not here to perform; she’s here to burn the stage.
Set between John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4, the film offers a fresh, though somewhat uneven, tale of revenge drenched in neon light and bloodlust. Director Len Wiseman captures the slick aesthetic fans expect—icy Prague clubs, candle-lit Continental lobbies, snow-laced villages—while giving Eve’s journey a distinct tone: more operatic, less cryptic than Wick’s, but equally ruthless.
The film's biggest strength lies in Ana de Armas’s visceral performance. She’s not just believable as a killer; she’s graceful, fierce, and commanding. Her action scenes are athletic poetry, balancing balletic elegance with brutal hand-to-hand combat. While the early sequences suffer from choppy editing and less refined choreography compared to the franchise’s standards, the third act more than redeems itself with breathtaking, tightly-staged set-pieces.
Narratively, Ballerina juggles too much at once—origin story, revenge saga, and world-building mythology. While it adds intriguing depth to the Ruska Roma, the script occasionally leans into heavy exposition, dampening its pace. Still, the payoff comes in memorable bursts: a snowy restaurant brawl, cryptic cult-like antagonists, and a few well-placed cameos (yes, Baba Yaga appears—and no, it’s not just fan service).
Though it stumbles in the shadow of its predecessors, Ballerina ultimately earns its place in the Wickverse. It's not a flawless twirl, but it spins with enough velocity, passion, and fury to make you want more. Eve Macarro might just be the franchise's fiercest new flame—and if this film is her opening act, we’ll be back for the encore.
“Want peace? Learn to dance in the fire first.”
— Eve Macarro
Still watching? You should be. The ballet isn’t over yet.
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