Regardless of when they arrive to the big screen or streaming platforms, I’m always leery of movies that spinoff of a main franchise.
Despite this apprehension, I decided to catch “From the World of John Wick: Ballerina” last weekend.
Per usual, the promised assassin-fueled violence was well in line with the “John Wick” franchise established in 2014.
Ballerina had a muddy storyline in the beginning and I still didn’t feel fully resolved by the end of the movie.
Still, it featured the trademarks of the franchise with a great soundtrack, awesome fight scenes and a main character with a tragic past hell-bent on revenge.
Ballerina is an American action thriller film, directed by Len Wiseman and written by Shay Hatten.
It is the fifth installment in the John Wick franchise, and it is set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) and Chapter 4 (2023).
Starring franchise newcomers Ana de Armas, Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, David Castañeda, and Norman Reedus, it also features reprised roles from the previous films including Anjelica Huston, Lance Reddick (in his final screen appearance), Ian McShane, and Keanu Reeves.
The movie clocks in at 125 minutes long and is rated R for strong/bloody violence throughout, and language.
Eve Macarro is the daughter of two assassins, Javier (Castañeda) a Kikimora of the Ruska Roma, and his unnamed Cultist wife.
When Eve was a girl, Javier and Eve went on the run from the Cult, leading to the death of Eve’s mother.
As the Cult’s Chancellor (Byrne) wants to retrieve Eve, the Cult assaults her residence, killing her guards and fatally wounding Javier, who helps Eve escape.
New York Continental owner Winston (McShane) brings Eve to the Ruska Roma, where Eve meets their Director (Huston) and agrees to join them to avenge Javier’s death.
Over 12 years, Eve trains as a ballerina and a Kikimora assassin/bodyguard under the Director and Nogi (Brewster).
She once meets John Wick (Reeves) who unsuccessfully advises her to abandon her violent path.
Eve graduates as a Kikimora by killing an older and disgraced Ruska Roma assassin.
She then successfully protects her first ward heiress Katla Park and later fulfills several contracts.
After killing a target, Eve is attacked by an assassin, whom she kills and identifies as a Cultist.
She asks the Director about the Cult, wanting revenge for her father’s death.
The Director forbids Eve from pursuing the Cult due to a longstanding truce between the Cult and the Ruska Roma.
Eve disobeys the Director and visits the New York Continental, where Charon (Reddick) grants her access to Winston.
Winston reveals that one Cultist, Daniel Pine (Reedus), is staying at the Prague Continental with a large bounty on him, so Eve travels there and books a room.
Unfortunately, Eve isn’t prepared for the hornet’s nest she walks into and watching the mayhem play out on the big screen makes the thin storyline worth it.
Plus, it’s worth noting that John Wick makes another appearance to help kick some villain butt – so, I fully endorse this film for that reason, too.
Also, it’s worth noting that there are at least three more films slated for the John Wick franchise and I’m excited to see how they play out, too!
