With looks that kill and the action-chops to back it up, Ana De Armas leads the John Wick spin-off Ballerina in a beautifully brutal dance of revenge fuelled violence under the direction of genre veteran Len Wiseman.
The spin-off is the last refuge of a film franchise and often proves to be a diluted product. Ballerina not only curbs that trend but also delivers a new action heroine that thankfully strays from the usual “girlboss” archetype in favour of a more ruthless angel of death portrayed by stunning Cuban actress Ana De Armas who capitalizes on the potential seen in her scene-stealing cameo in No Time to Die.
De Armas stars in Ballerina as Eve, a highly capable assassin trained by crime syndicate the Ruska Roma who have sworn an oath to protect those who procure their services. When Eve receives intel about who murdered her father (David Castaneda) when she was her child, she embarks on a journey of vengeance that leads to assassin cult leader, the Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne.)
Considering the reports of extensive reshoots that extended the production of Ballerina by almost two years, it is a miracle that the film is as good as it is. Set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4, Ballerina perfectly blends into the worldbuilding of the “Wickverse” while establishing its own personality through Ava De Armas’ cooly seductive persona.
While the Oscar nominated De Armas has taken on action roles in The Gray Man and Ghosted (both forgettable made-for-streaming drivel), Ballerina gives De Armas the opportunity to truly prove her action chops in the ultimate action franchise, and she does so with hard hitting, flame throwing, grenade launching gusto while front and centre of some of the best action scenes since John Wick: Chapter 4.
Director Len Wiseman – who hasn’t helmed a feature film since the 2012 remake of Total Recall – uses his experience helming large action tentpoles (Underworld, Die Hard 4.0) to deliver a highly entertaining and slickly crafted genre film that is perhaps the best female-led revenge movie since Uma Thurman “rampaged” her way across the screen in Kill Bill decades ago.
