An assassin trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma organization sets out to seek revenge after her father’s death.
The JOHN WICK franchise reignites with “Ballerina,” starring Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro, an orphan ballerina-turned-assassin raised and trained by the Ruska Roma. Director Len Wiseman of the UNDERWORLD series fame takes the helm on this one, though franchise veteran Chad Stahelski came in to help with additional action sequences in reshoots.
Several familiar faces return in supporting roles, including Ian McShane as Winston Scott, Anjelica Huston as the Director, who acts as Eve’s adoptive mother figure, and Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Nogi, Eve’s mentor. The late Lance Reddick also appears as Charon in the actor’s final film role—Keanu Reeves’ return as the infamous John Wick played a far bigger role than I expected. Taking place between the third and fourth films of the main series, his appearance at first seemed to be a cameo done in the name of fan service, but turned out to be wildly entertaining and true to the character.
Newcomers to the series include Norman Reedus as Daniel Pine, an assassin attempting to flee his violent life to ensure his young daughter’s safety, and Gabriel Byrne as the main antagonist, known as the Chancellor. Reedus is seriously underutilized, and Byrne’s character is far from compelling. In the end, he just becomes a mouthpiece for the bizarre set of rules his cultlike ‘Tribe’ is beholden to. His character would have been more memorable if he had been an actual physical threat to Eve and if he and his followers had added anything more meaningful to the series’ lore.
While the simplicity of the plot leaves much to be desired, there are brief reflections on choice, fate, and nature versus nurture. “Ballerina” isn’t exactly philosophically dense, but it isn’t completely shallow either. Eve’s mentor, Nogi, educates her on the choice that would define her life in the Ruska Roma: to kill or to save.
Things start slow, but once “Ballerina” picks up, it never loses momentum. Though it showcases the elaborately choreographed action sequences and exotic locales this series is known for, Dan Laustsen’s cinematography is sorely missed. One can only imagine how beautiful the final act, set in a snowy mountain village in Prague, would have looked through his lens.
A female lead is exactly what this franchise needed, and Ana de Armas was the perfect choice for the role. She dances gracefully between vulnerability and deadliness, equal parts brutal and merciful. And Eve possesses Wick’s talent for resourcefulness–running out of bullets never makes her any less of a threat.
By the end, Eve boasts a kill count that would make Baba Yaga proud. The two face off in an abbreviated fight sequence toward the end, which acts as a passing-of-the-torch from Wick to Eve, which she immediately follows up by torching an entire town full of bad guys with a flamethrower.
Though this ballet doesn’t quite reach the symphonic heights of its immediate predecessor, “Ballerina” is a worthy addition to the John Wick franchise, thanks to a bold and committed performance by Ana de Armas.
In Theaters Friday, June 6th
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