John Wick proved to be a major success, spawning four films, a television series (which, for some reason, featured Mel Gibson), and now a spin-off film with Ballerina. Ana de Armas takes on the role of Eve Macarro, a ballerina assassin with a tragic past.
This is the first origin story tackled in this universe, whereas we meet John Wick towards the end of his ‘career’, we see Eve’s story play out in front of our eyes. It hits the basic origin story beats in the first act, and I was worried it’d stay in that pace. Luckily, it ramps up quickly in the second act. The cinematography is quite stellar, ranging from a kaleidoscope of neon lights in a nightclub to the warmth of candlelight, accompanied by Latin Catholic iconography. The set design complements it so well, working in tandem to visually illustrate everything we need to know about this world between the lines. We’re spanning a vast amount of time in the first act, and the second focuses on the heart of the story – Eve bringing the people who hurt her to justice.
An elusive cult targeted her family when she was young, and she grew up in a world where assassins are manufactured. John Wick didn’t pull punches when it came to the darker parts of the world, but ‘Ballerina’ really expands on that. It reveals the role young children play, being groomed from a young age to withstand pain in a manner that they should not be aware of. She’s part of the Ruska Roma organization, and as she goes against their values in her quest for vengeance, she sees herself in another young girl, Ella (Ava Joyce McCarthy). This adds another layer to her goal, preventing Ella from experiencing the same fate.
The core of the story grapples with morality, grooming, and grief. Eve lost her childhood, family, and any semblance of an everyday life. Even though she’s a morally gray character, considering the line of work she was conditioned to pursue, her heart shines through in so many moments. We see her care for the other students at Ruska Roma, those who are considered weaker. The moment Ella comes into the picture, even though Eve is still charged with her vengeance, there is also another reason to unravel the mystery of the cult. Saving Ella is like going back in time to save a younger Eve from the fate she was dealt. It’s riveting to see her take on more than one person should handle in the off chance that she can protect a young girl from a purely evil fate.
Keanu Reeves and Armas reunite in this film after starring together in 2015’s Knock Knock. Their moments together are great, the characters poetically juxtaposing each other. Eve is at the start of her career, and John is reluctantly being brought back into the world. Their chemistry in the fight sequence between the two was mesmerizing, an actual dance. The stunt choreography was captivating, with insane choices of weaponry. Tonally, it strikes a balance between entertainment and depth seamlessly. Although the themes are heavy, the action is thrilling, and there are genuinely hilarious moments (shoutout to Frank – IYKYK). The vibe really reminds me of something that would have come out in the mid-2000s, in the best way possible. It knows what it is and knows how to keep us invested in the story. My theater erupted in cheers, gasps, “hell yeah”s, and other audible reactions.
No Time to Die was de Armas’ first foray into full-on action, and Ballerina proves that she can tackle a wide range of aspects of the craft. I’d love to see her take on more roles where she can flex her dramatic chops like this, and I truly missed seeing her on our screens. She was an excellent choice for the role – I’ll always get excited about seeing a Latina action heroine leading a film! Reeves was great, and I loved that John never outshone Eve. His presence elevated certain scenes, but Eve was still given this film to prove herself as a dynamic character.
Ballerina successfully expands on the thrilling world of John Wick, capturing the essence of what audiences love about the franchise. I’d be curious to see where it goes from here, and would love to catch up with Eve Macarro again down the road!
Rating: 7.5/10