Ballerina Review: A Stylish Spin-Off That Lacks Bite
Ballerina is the latest entry in the John Wick universe, and it tries to flesh out a fresh corner of its assassin-filled world. But does this John Wick spin-off hold its own, or is it just another ballet of bullets riding on franchise fame? Here’s our Ballerina review.
A Familiar Origin, A New Assassin
Let’s get the obvious out of the way: yes, Keanu Reeves appears as John Wick, but only briefly. This is very much Eve Macarro’s story. Played by Ana de Armas, she’s a rookie assassin trained by the Ruska Roma, the same group we saw in John Wick: Chapter 3. The setup is strong, we’re finally seeing how these high-profile killers begin, and the rigid rules they’re expected to follow.
Eve’s backstory is a classic origin arc. As a child, her father is killed while protecting her. Winston delivers her to the Ruska Roma, where her training begins. By day, she’s a ballerina. By night, she’s learning how to shoot, disarm larger enemies, and field-strip weapons faster than her classmates. It all feels like a private boarding school – if that school had a kill count.
She’s eager to graduate, and when she runs into John Wick (during the events of Chapter 3), she sees him as a mythic alumni, the Baba Yaga. He warns her that it’s not too late to walk away. She ignores him. She’s convinced she’ll be the best.
Her first assignment? Protect a woman in a club while neutralizing armed goons with rubber bullets, no less. If you’ve seen Lycoris Recoil, the Chisato comparisons are hard to ignore, especially the non lethal bullets and Eve’s quick reflexes. But unlike Chisato, Eve doesn’t have a heart-of-gold angle. She likes what she’s becoming. The action is slick, the club scene is textbook Wick, stylish choreography, passive NPC-like crowds, and mayhem just waiting to erupt.
Revenge, But on Easy Mode
After that assignment, we jump forward a few months. Eve stumbles upon a group bearing the same mark as the men who killed her father, and she goes rogue. She’s warned that this cult-ish faction is off-limits. The High Table and the Ruska Roma have an understanding with them. But Eve doesn’t care. This is her revenge arc.
And that’s where the movie starts losing steam.
Everything comes a little too easy. She plows through seasoned assassins like she’s got cheat codes enabled. With John, we believed the legend because we saw the blood, pain, and consequences. Eve’s victories, in comparison, feel too convenient. The flamethrower fight, for example, is visually stunning but it leans more on spectacle than stakes.
In the John Wick films, rules are everything. Even the Baba Yaga bleeds, and no one is above the code. But here? Eve seems to bend every rule and walk away untouched. The sense of danger just isn’t there.
John Wick Returns, Briefly
Wick returns in the third act, sent to bring Eve back just like the trailer teased. They fight. And thankfully, the film doesn’t pull any rookie-beats-legend nonsense. John wins, and it’s not even close. He gives her until 11:59 PM to finish what she started. Very on-brand.
He even helps her from the shadows with a sniper assist. One character mutters, “He’s just one man,” and you know exactly how that ends.
But let’s talk about continuity. This movie supposedly happens between Chapters 3 and 4, when John was healing and on the run. So how does he have time to moonlight as a babysitter? Feels like he was added after the fact, likely for hype.
Ballerina Review: Final Thoughts – Stylish But Hollow
Eve does face consequences by the end. She’s excommunicated. On the run. But it doesn’t hit with the same weight as it did for John. Her fall feels less like a narrative climax and more like a setup for the next film.
So, what’s the verdict?
The action works. The world-building is decent. Ana de Armas commits to the role. But the stakes feel low, and the emotional payoff just isn’t there. I went in with low expectations and walked out feeling… fine.
Rating:
Verdict: Watch it or skip it?
It’s a decent ride. The action pops, but the stakes don’t. If you’re the kind who loves soaking up stylish violence on the big screen, go for it, the visuals do look great in a theatre. But if you’re not in a rush, this one’s totally fine to stream when it lands on streaming services. No harm in skipping the popcorn premium.
Let’s just say: it’s better than a doomscroll, not quite a must-watch pilgrimage. Queue it up on a weekend when you’re in the mood for a stylish distraction.
So what did you think of Ballerina? Did it expand the John Wick universe in a cool new way or feel like a stylish detour without much weight? Drop your thoughts in the comments. For more such reviews, click here. And if you’re looking for deeper details on Ballerina, we’ve got you covered here.
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