A Review: Ballerina (A John Wick Story)

Have you ever watched a movie that’s supposed to be super cool and exciting, but when it was over, you just felt kind of “meh”? That’s how I felt after watching Ballerina, a movie set in the same world as the famous John Wick movies. I was really looking forward to it—after all, who doesn’t love awesome fight scenes, tough heroes, and a wild adventure? But even though there were some fun parts, I was left wishing for more.

I paid $19.99 to rent it on Amazon Prime, and I was really hoping for more than I got.

As I said, Ballerina takes place in the same universe as John Wick, which means there are secret societies, lots of fighting, and rules that everyone seems to break. The main character is a young woman, trained as a ballerina and an assassin. She’s on a mission for revenge, trying to find the people who killed her father.

I really got the impression this movie was just an excuse to use Ana de Armas in the leading role. I would have much preferred a spin-off movie with the character played by Halle Berry with her two dogs!

Along the way, she meets some familiar faces from the John Wick movies, including the late Lance Reddick, who played the polite but tough hotel manager. There are lots of fights, some under the table plans, and plenty of moments where you wonder who’s really on her side.

If you love action, this movie has plenty of it! There are lots of battles—hand-to-hand combat, shootouts, and even some creative moves that look like they came straight out of a dance performance. The main character is super tough and shows off many of the same John Wick fighting skills we’ve all come to know and love.

At one point she complained that she could not win against a man because he is bigger and stronger than she is. The Director (played by Angelica Houston) simply says, “Fight like a girl.” It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know what she was going to do next.

It was nice to see characters from the John Wick movies show up. As I said, Lance Reddick’s character, in particular, brought a sense of calm and strength, even though he’s not in the movie for very long. Seeing these familiar people made the movie feel connected to the bigger John Wick world. Winston (Ian McShane) has some integral parts as well. And I have to say I was pleasantly surprised to see Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead) appear as well. After all, he has a restaurant in Chattanooga!

Like all the John Wick movies before it, this one takes place in fancy hotels, dark alleys, secret hideouts, and Bavarian villages. The world of assassins is mysterious and kind of cool, with lots of rules and secret codes. And, in the spirit of all the John Wick movies before it, Ballerina makes you wonder if there is anyone who is NOT a highly trained assassin!

But even with all that, Ballerina didn’t totally work for me.

I know John Wick movies are famous for their action, but sometimes it felt like the movie was just trying to shock us with how violent it could be. There were so many fights, that after a while it stopped being exciting and just felt kind of mind numbing. And after such an extended period on film, I don’t really want to see any more flame throwers.

The main character wants revenge, but the story doesn’t give us much more than that. The bad guys are just…bad, without any real reason. It felt like the movie was just moving from one fight to the next without giving us a reason to care.

The John Wick movies are special because they mix action with interesting characters and a mysterious under world. Ballerina tries to do the same thing, but it doesn’t quite get there. The main character is tough, but she’s just not that interesting.

The movie definitely sets things up for a sequel, just like the John Wick movies always do (in fact, EXACTLY as John Wick movies do). But honestly, I’m not sure if there will be one. And, if there is, I’m not sure I would see it until it is free online somewhere. The story didn’t feel strong enough to make me excited for another movie, and I’m guessing a lot of people might feel the same way.

Ballerina is a movie with some exciting action and a cool connection to the well-known world of John Wick. But it’s missing the special spark that made those movies so much fun. The fights are wild, but the story is thin, and the characters don’t feel real. I never really developed any feelings of empathy or sympathy with the character of Eve Macarro (Anna de Armas) the way I did with John Wick waking up to find his dog dead.

If you’re a huge fan of John Wick and just want to see more fights, you might have a good time. But if you’re hoping for a movie that makes you care about the hero, you might end up feeling like I did—more than a tad underwhelmed.

If I had to give Ballerina a score, I’d give it a 6 out of 10. It’s got some cool moments, but it’s not a movie I’d rush to watch again.

If you’ve seen Ballerina, let me know what you think. Maybe you’ll like it more than I did!