A New Name in a Familiar World
Set between John Wick: Chapter 3 and Chapter 4, Ballerina follows Eve (Ana de Armas), a trained assassin raised by the Ruska Roma, on a blood-soaked mission to avenge her father’s murder. The film tries to explore new corners of the Wickverse, introducing a secretive Austrian cult, ballerina-based assassin training, and a vengeance path layered with both mystery and brutality. But beneath the spectacle, it’s mostly surface-level.
On paper, this should work. Ana de Armas has the screen presence. Chad Stahelski returns (partially) to direct the action. And the John Wick world is ripe for expansion. But in execution, Ballerina struggles to justify itself beyond the gunfire.
Tone, Style & First Impressions
Visually, Ballerina is slick and stylized, echoing the neon-drenched aesthetics of its parent series. The choreography is tight. The fights are inventive. Grenades, flamethrowers, and ice skates become weapons in scenes that feel like operatic mayhem. It’s undeniably fun to watch. But once the guns stop firing and the characters start talking, it all falls apart.
The story is thin. The pacing is inconsistent. And character motivations fluctuate wildly. You’re constantly waiting for the next action scene to distract from how little you care about what’s actually happening.
Cast & Character Breakdown
Ana de Armas as Eve
She looks the part. She moves like a professional killer. She even carries the film through sheer physical commitment. But she’s given very little room to breathe as an actual character. There’s no real arc. No emotional development. She’s constantly on the move—fighting, running, stabbing—with almost zero quiet moments to connect with the audience.
Keanu Reeves as John Wick (Cameo)
Two appearances. The first works. The second feels forced. It reeks of studio interference: “We need more Keanu. Just throw him in.”
Norman Reedus as Daryl
A complete non-factor. Teased in trailers, gone in five minutes. His inclusion is meaningless.
Supporting Cast
Winston (Ian McShane) returns for a small but welcome role. The Austrian villain is generic, and the cultish assassin town never leans fully into its concept. They live like monks, but act like bouncers.
Should You See It?
If you’re in it for stylish ultraviolence, yes. The action scenes are some of the most imaginative in the franchise. You will be entertained.
If you’re looking for world-building, emotional depth, or a tight script, no. This is Wick-lite. It’s a sugar rush that wears off fast.
⚠️ Spoilers Below: Full Breakdown & Big Reveals
Plot Summary
Eve’s father, an ex-assassin, is murdered after trying to escape an Austrian cult. Eve trains under the Ruska Roma for over a decade, becomes a ballerina-assassin hybrid, and sets out to find the cult and get revenge. Along the way, she uncovers a hidden sister, faces betrayal, gets nearly killed multiple times, and ends up declaring war on the Austrian faction.
John Wick Cameos
Keanu shows up twice. The first time as a warning, the second time to literally save Eve’s life by sniping a flamethrower-wielding goon. It’s a cool moment, but totally unearned.
Big Twists
- The entire Austrian town is made up of assassins.
- Eve’s long-lost sister is a sleeper agent.
- There’s a secret plot to manipulate Eve into wiping out the entire faction.
- She survives flamethrower duels, grenade blasts, and takes out the villain with a headshot mid-monologue.
Ending
Eve kills the villain, saves the kid, and returns the child to her wounded father. She gets branded excommunicado and now has a $5 million bounty on her head. John lets her live. We fade to black as she disappears into the shadows, wounded but unbroken.
The Good
- Creative Action: Grenades in coffee shops. Flamethrowers in ice rinks. A katana fight with a kitchen staff. Glorious excess.
- Ana de Armas’ Physicality: She commits. Every fight feels brutal and earned.
- Gorgeous Cinematography: The Wick aesthetic still stuns.
- Hard-Hitting Brutality: The violence has weight. No one walks away clean.
The Bad
- Paper-Thin Plot: It’s all revenge with no emotional anchor.
- Shallow World-Building: A new faction is introduced but never explored.
- Underused Lead: Ana is overshadowed by spectacle. No time to act, only react.
- Inconsistent Rules: The cult has no rules… except when it suddenly does.
- Sloppy Writing: Convenient plot twists, missed opportunities, and logic gaps galore.
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina: Ballerina delivers what it promises: high-octane, over-the-top violence in the John Wick mold. But it never escapes the long shadow of its origin series. It lacks the lore, the gravitas, and the depth that made Wick iconic. This is a flashy side dish—not the main course. If you're craving a shot of chaotic action and can stomach a messy story, it's worth the ride. – Asmodeus
What’s Next?
Lionsgate is building a full Wickverse: Donnie Yen’s Caine spin-off is on the way, and a Tracker movie centered around the dog-loving assassin is in development. Meanwhile, John Wick 5 is in limbo—with Keanu Reeves not yet signed but everyone else pretending it’s happening.
As for Ballerina 2? The setup is there, but the appetite isn’t.
This chapter closes with Eve on the run, a bounty on her head, and a world of assassins closing in. Sound familiar?