'Ballerina' review: Ana de Armas leads a fierce John Wick spinoff with style, rage, and relentless action
Ana de Armas steps boldly into the assassin-laden universe of John Wick in From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, a propulsive, high-stakes spin-off that trades quiet grief for explosive revenge. Directed by Len Wiseman and penned by franchise regular Shay Hatten, Ballerina doesn’t attempt to subvert the beloved “gun-fu” formula—it embraces it, offering a kinetic thrill ride led by a commanding performance from de Armas as Eve Macarro.
Ana de Armas in 'From the World of John Wick: Ballerina.'
Murray Close/Lionsgate
Set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4, the film follows Eve, a ballet-trained killer raised by the formidable Director (Anjelica Huston, in scene-stealing form), as she sets out to avenge the murder of her father, Javier (David Castañeda). Armed with a dancer’s precision and a deadly arsenal of makeshift weapons—flamethrower, mallet, katana, even ice skates—Eve brings a new kind of heat to the snow-covered assassin underworld.
Keanu Reeves’ iconic John Wick makes a brief but potent appearance, dispatching foes and dropping lines like “choice” and “consequences” with his trademark stoicism. His presence affirms continuity but never overshadows de Armas, whose kinetic screen energy and physical commitment redefine the franchise’s leading edge.
The film’s visual language—dark neon palettes, blood-slicked clubs, and the gothic elegance of Hallstatt’s alpine death-trap village—feels unmistakably Wickian. Cinematographer Romain Lacourbas ensures every drop of blood glows like paint on canvas, while Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard’s throbbing score pulses with urgency and dread.
More compact and emotionally direct than its predecessors, Ballerina trims the dense High Table lore in favor of primal storytelling. The revenge arc is personal, the action is relentless, and de Armas carries it with sweat, bruises, and raw charisma.
While Eve lacks Wick’s Zen detachment, she brings fury and fire—an avenger forged not by principle but pain. Hatten teases themes of identity, trauma, and legacy, but never at the expense of what matters most: brutal, balletic combat choreographed to near-perfection.
Supported by strong turns from Gabriel Byrne as the chilling Chancellor, Norman Reedus as a haunted defector, and the late Lance Reddick in his final screen appearance as Charon, Ballerina boasts a deep ensemble committed to its hyper-stylized universe.
