How many successful action franchises do we have now? That’s a more complicated question to answer than one may think. That is, especially after the surprise 2014 revelation of a film that was John Wick. Besides revitalizing Keanu Reeves’s career, the film’s stunt work helped redefine the action genre for modern American audiences. That film series demonstrated to American viewers what successful action storytelling can achieve — something visceral and violent. After four major hit films, it was pretty obvious we’d get more in this world. Now, enter the spin-off story, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina.
Ana de Armas as Eve in BALLERINA. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate. © 2025 Lionsgate.
The story of From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, stylized in-film as simply Ballerina, follows Eve Maccarro (Ana de Armas), a Ballerina-assassin from the Ruska Roma, previously established in John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum (2019). Taking place between that film and John Wick: Chapter 4, Ballerina follows Eve on a path of revenge. As Eve executes her mission, she gets help along the way from a variety of characters. These include familiar faces such as Winston (Ian McShane), the owner of the Continental hotel in New York; the Director (Anjelica Huston) of the Ruska Roma; and the Baba Yaga himself, John Wick (Reeves); as well as new faces to the franchise Daniel Pine (Norman Reedus) and The Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne).
Anjelica Huston as The Director in BALLERINA. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate. © 2025 Lionsgate.
To state the obvious about this film, Ballerina is a different beast compared to the John Wick franchise. That includes both how it fits in this world via the story and the technical craft on display. It is also the weakest film in this beloved action franchise. The John Wick series immediately dropped viewers into this world and audiences learned about the mechanics as they went with limited exposition. We were given just enough, learning the rules and moral code of this assassin culture. Ballerina takes a longer time to get started and is clunky in its very clichéd origin story. Eve’s motivations are something that have been seen in action movies for decades. It’s a rather long and dull setup that could test the patience of many audiences. Add in the expectation of the fluid action (a.k.a., self-proclaimed gun-fu) that made the franchise iconic and some could feel very disappointed. After that rocky start, Ballerina manages to find a highly entertaining and action-packed groove. Granted, it feels like something entirely different than what has come before.
L-R: Ian McShane as Winston and Ana de Armas as Eve in BALLERINA. Photo Credit: Larry D. Horricks / Lionsgate. © 2025 Lionsgate.
Eve is not the same sort of proficient and tactile killer that John Wick is. She’s messy, scrappy, and motivated by nothing but revenge. Such a motivation makes for an “act first and think later” sort of fighter, the results of which help deliver a different kind of action hero in this franchise. Similarly to Reeves (Bill & Ted series), de Armas (No Time to Die) wisely understands the assignment. She commits to the lunacy of the action with a comedic tinge underlying it. Simultaneously, she delivers a knowingly stilted action lead performance, similar to Reeves. The performance fits seamlessly in this world, making the finished product feel just as exciting.
Norman Reedus as Daniel Pine in BALLERINA. Photo Credit: Larry D. Horricks / Lionsgate. © 2025 Lionsgate.
The core struggles of Ballerina reside in the new supporting characters. None of them carry the same charm as the previous supporting ensemble from earlier films. Instead, actors like Byrne (The Usual Suspects) and Reedus (The Boondock Saints) feel like nothing more than plot motivators. Reedus gets a few action set pieces and delivers, while Byrne applies the needed (and oftentimes overplayed) villainy. Both give Eve just enough opposition, particularly when John Wick enters the story. No matter how messy those elements are, once they come together, the results are thoroughly enjoyable.
Ana de Armas as Eve in BALLERINA. Photo Credit: Murray Close / Lionsgate. © 2025 Lionsgate.
Ballerina feels like a very different kind of movie. The action is still present, but is delivered in a more heavily edited way with moments of grandeur. It makes the action a mixed bag, but when it works, it’s electric. Not only does it honor what came before, but it also manages to find its voice by the end. It delivers a finished product that leaves audiences wanting more. That will undoubtedly be enough for some fans, whereas casual filmgoers would just call it average. It certainly does not hit the same highs of the original franchise, but it scratches an itch and will leave audiences entertained.
In theaters June 6th, 2025.
For more information, head to the official Lionsgate Ballerina website.
Final Score: 3.5 out of 5.
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Categories: In Theaters, Reviews
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