Ballerina: From the World of John Wick (2025) | Film Review

As John Wick: Chapter 4 concluded, our favorite lethal assassin and puppy avenger was dead, and a franchise was in limbo. Wherever would they go from here? Their Peacock TV spin-off The Continental was a colossal dud, so is there any juice left here to squeeze? With Ballerina now hitting theaters (and a recently announced John Wick 5 on the horizon), we finally have our answer.

Carrying the unnecessary branded subtitle of “From the World of John Wick”, Ballerina kicks off with Eve Macarro as a little girl reflecting on the vicious murder of her father by the enigmatic Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne). Just as all hope seems lost, Winston (Ian McShane, in one of several John Wick connections) arrives to inform young Eve she does have a family willing to take her in, should she choose to commit her life to their plight. Angelica Huston returns as the elusive Director, the head of the Ruska Roma, a group of trained assassins who are allegedly dedicated to protecting targets worldwide…and ballet, apparently.

Flash-forward – establishing the film as occurring in a timeline between John Wick 3 and 4 – and Eve (Ana de Armas) has come of age. After completing her training and initial missions, Eve stumbles upon a connection to her past: a distinguishing mark which resembles the same one affixed to the men who massacred her family. Eve wastes no time kicking her Ruska Roma commitments to the side and immersing herself in a healthy surplus of revenge.

Director Len Wiseman sputters a bit at the onset – the first act takes a degree of patience – but once Eve sets out on her mission, Ballerina morphs into a full-throttled action opus exactly as fans hoped. It has been widely reported that John Wick franchise director Chad Stahelski had a hand in a few additional action scenes, and it almost seems obvious when he arrives due to the distinct differences in camera placements alone. The first half of the film overly relies on quick edits and jarring camera shifts, the kind of clunky action the John Wick franchise was vehemently against. Meanwhile, the second half (with a beautifully cinematic backdrop of Santa’s Village, it seems) showcases the set-pieces the previous films are known for: camera pulled back, allowing the action to unfold as performed, few camera tricks, visceral movements, etc. When this shift happens as Eve proceeds forward, the film immediately cranks into high gear and never lets up.

An aspect of the film that I personally loved is how the filmmakers chose to display Eve’s fighting prowess. Unlike John Wick, Eve is proficient with more than guns, and her size is diminutive in comparison. Therefore, both the script and the choreography emphasize her ability to compensate for these changes and, to quote the film, “fight like a girl”. That allows Eve the ability to develop her own technique and unique combat style that – while not as perfected as master murderer John Wick – is just as lethally effective.

Carrying all of this is Ana de Armas. Already having proved herself adept at both action and drama, de Armas delivers with a captivating performance that allows the actress to showcase both her brutality and vulnerability. As Keanu Reeves has made John Wick an extension of his id, Ana de Armas also deftly places her stamp on an action heroine who stands on her own. Even as we devolve into the gleeful insanity of a flamethrower battle, Ana de Armas has a fluidity and grace throughout her action scenes that demonstrate a student clearly on the way to mastering the art of the kill.

In fact, if I had a single takeaway from the film other than a tinge of sluggishness in the early goings, it’s that John Wick is almost too involved. By the time we get to the final act, de Armas has earned our respect, and she deserves to finish this war on her own terms. Instead, filmmakers decided to up the ante and John Wick has more to do than he truly needs to. I understand the commerce of it all but allow your new assassin and star to stand on her own two feet. Eve can do things with hockey skates that Wick only wishes he could do, and she deserved a canvas to prove it alone.

Overall, Ballerina introduces a charismatic and vicious assassin, and audiences are better for it. Ana de Armas is a worthy addition to the world of John Wick, and as the film finishes, it leaves us with enough excitement to bring us immediately back whenever Eve inevitably surfaces again. Hopefully next time, she assassinates foes on her own terms.