Released in cinemas on 6 June, Ballerina introduces audiences to a new chapter in the John Wick universe. Starring Ana de Armas as a lethal assassin, the film is set between the third and fourth installments of the main series. As a spin-off of the popular action franchise headlined by Keanu Reeves, Ballerina aims to expand the world of high-stakes assassins with a fresh face and plenty of firepower. This review explores how well the film justifies its existence and whether Ana de Armas can carry the story as convincingly as she wields a machine gun.

Pros:

• The action sequences are tightly choreographed and thrilling, clearly the filmmakers’ main focus.
• In keeping with the tone of the John Wick series, the story takes a backseat to stylised violence, which will likely please long-time fans.
• Ana de Armas, who impressed in her short role in No Time to Die (2021), steps up here with confidence and physicality.
• Familiar faces from the original films, including Keanu Reeves, make welcome appearances and tie the spin-off to the core series.

Cons:

• The plot is very thin, though that’s somewhat expected for this genre and franchise.
• The John Wick universe continues to stretch logic, with some action scenes straying far from believability.
• The constant stream of violence can become exhausting, especially by the film’s final act.
• The over-the-top nature of the film may test the patience of viewers not already invested in the series.

Ballerina

• Genre: Action
• Director: Len Wiseman
• Cast: Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Norman Reedus, Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick
• Premiere: Cinemas
• Year of Release: 2025
• Web: IMDb, official site

When Eva was just 12, she watched her father die in her arms — the victim of a ruthless cult leader based deep in the scenic Alpine mountains. At Winston Scott’s request (yes, the same Winston who runs the Continental Hotel), she’s taken in by the Ruska Roma, a clan that trains its protégés in both ballet and brutality. Under the tutelage of this shadowy syndicate, Eva masters elegant moves like the pas de bourrée alongside more lethal skills like hand-to-hand combat and firearms. As Eva enters a secret world with rules and rituals, new players can do the same with a StayCasino login. This is where strategy, risk, and profit come together in a high-stakes setting.

Years later, once her so-called teachers decide she’s ready for her ‘performance,’ Eva returns to settle the score. Vengeance fuels her mission, and even the legendary John Wick — referred to here as the Jordanian Yovanovich — isn’t beyond her path.

Let’s be clear: Ballerina isn’t aimed at casual action movie fans. It’s made for the John Wick faithful and perhaps those drawn by Ana de Armas’s growing star power. If you’re someone who already accepts the bizarre, stylised logic of this franchise — where assassins lurk behind every smiling face and gold coins operate as a universal underworld currency — then you’re the film’s ideal viewer.

The premise remains the same: a heightened reality where everyone, from the cleaning lady to the mysterious dancer, could be a contract killer. The violence is ceaseless and absurdly choreographed — which is part of the appeal. Think of it like a video game, where the protagonist dispatches dozens of enemies and shrugs off wounds that would sideline a real person for life.

Ana de Armas as Eve in Ballerina. Photo Credit: Larry D. Horricks

What makes Ballerina stand out slightly is its protagonist. While John Wick enters the screen as a fully formed force of nature, Eva is still in the making. Her vulnerability adds a touch of depth, even if the script doesn’t spend much time developing it.

As for the plot — well, there’s barely one. But that’s hardly a surprise. After the slow first act, where Eva’s tragic backstory unfolds, the film shifts into high gear. Training montages and fight sequences take over, culminating in a revenge mission that’s more about spectacle than storytelling. Among the highlights is a not-so-subtle ‘cheat code’ trick — a well-placed groin kick — that pays off against a hulking adversary. And yes, there’s even a nod to the infamous ‘tiger claw’ move from Cool Guy (2002), for those who remember that gem.

In essence, Ballerina is John Wick in a tutu — a glossy, violent dance through a world that makes no sense and doesn’t pretend to. If that sounds like your kind of performance, take a seat. The show is about to begin.

As for what the film throws at us — expect familiar territory. Hostile adversaries await in the ever-obligatory neon-drenched nightclub (we’ve all seen this set-piece before). A visit to the Continental Hotel brings cameos galore, including Norman Reedus (yes, Daryl Dixon himself) and a bittersweet appearance by the late Lance Reddick behind the reception desk. There’s also a detour to a bleak, snowbound wasteland, drenched in the mood of Soviet-era gloom. At one point, we even glimpse the façade of Tarkovsky’s theatre — a sly visual echo of Atomic Blonde (2017), another action flick with a formidable female lead.

Ana de Armas’s Eva follows a well-trodden hero’s journey — moderately engaging, but hardly groundbreaking. There’s the expected montage of punishing training sessions in classic Rocky style, complete with raw determination (though sadly, Eye of the Tiger is absent). Then comes the dramatic, unsterile self-surgery scene, reminiscent of Rembrandt’s dark masterpieces. And of course, the timely fire truck rescue, straight out of Die Hard, where John McClane once hijacked a similar vehicle with the now-iconic “What are you doing, John?”

To really turn up the heat, the film gives us a flamethrower finale straight out of Aliens — Ellen Ripley would be proud. Add in some brutal close-combat scenes, and it’s clear: alongside Charlize Theron, Ana de Armas earns her place in the growing roster of “atomic brunettes.” Not that she doesn’t shine as a blonde, too.

Musically, the film is powered by “Hand That Feeds,” a duet by Halsey and Amy Lee from Evanescence. It’s a fitting choice — this is the same band whose Bring Me to Life once scored a pivotal training scene in The Rock (2003), as Elektra prepared for battle. The emotional throughline is thin, but the music helps carry the intensity.

Somewhere in the background, John Wick makes his presence felt — not essential to the plot, but undeniably welcome. He even drops a few lines about choice, channeling the familiar philosophical tone of The Matrix and Keanu Reeves’s pill-offering mentor.

And yes — all this is cool. A stunning Cuban-Spanish assassin charges through crowds of faceless foes, flinging grenades, cracking bones, and smashing skulls — all bathed in neon glow. But by the second hour, even the most devoted fans may start to feel fatigued. It’s not so much bad as it is excessive. Scenes like the flamethrower-fuelled showdown or a stylish skating sequence are as absurd as they are visually gripping. Yet the relentless pace begins to blur the line between fun and exhaustion.

Ballerina is far from a masterpiece — it’s straightforward, wildly implausible, and occasionally repetitive. Still, as a cinematic spectacle, it delivers enough firepower to entertain. And let’s face it: Ana de Armas, gleaming under club lights and confidently dishing out punishment, is never anything less than watchable.

The film introduces viewers to the philosophy of mercenaries

There is a simple but sure dramatic message behind the amazing fight scenes. Eva has chosen to leave heaven on a quest to find out the truth about her past and to achieve her dream of freedom of choice. The girl’s dead father tried to keep her from becoming a soldier like he did, but the girl did it anyway. Was it her choice or a set of events that came together, which is sometimes called “fate”?

Eva’s goal gives her the answer: to change things for the better by being kind and stopping the cycle of violence. At one point, she meets someone who used to be in Chancellor Daniel’s gang. David Reedus, who plays Daryl on The Walking Dead, plays him. He is also being chased because he wants to keep his daughter from becoming a killer, which is not a good thing. The girl is finally taken, and Eva wants more than just revenge. She wants to save the girl’s life and keep her from going in the wrong direction. So, the heroine’s goals change from being personal to being for the good of others.

The film ‘Ballerina’ adheres to the neon noir style of the franchise

The style of “Ballerina” stays true to the “John Wick” name. There are bright clubs, never-ending rain, and noir lighting in this world. It also talks about the Bible and pays tribute to Chad Stahelski’s favourite directors, from Buster Keaton to Tarkovsky.

“Ballerina” adds to the series’ mythology and supports the idea that the world is a shiny front that hides all sorts of monsters. You need kind but cruel ghosts like Baba Yaga (John Wick) and Kikimora (Eva) in a place like this.

It’s true that the movie starts to look like a James Bond movie near the end. The Chancellor is too talkative and looks a lot like both Auric Goldfinger and Ernst Stavro Blofeld. The final location is a standard bad guy’s hideout from movies like No Time to Die, Doctor No, or On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

Overall, this didn’t ruin the experience. I just wanted to tell Barbara Broccoli, who produces James Bond movies, that she should hire Chad Stahelski to direct the next one.

How did The Ballerina turn out?

The movie Ballerina is a spin-off of John Wick. It doesn’t try anything new, but it safely sticks to a formula that has already worked well. Action scenes that are carefully planned out are still the main part of the story. The world is a cold, uncomfortable noir place full of mirrors, signs, and fancy hotels, and killers are hiding around every corner.

Ana de Armas is the only thing that can change in this equation. She does a great job with the lead part, both physically and emotionally. She has made a figure who is a mix of weak femininity and angry revenge.

The successful factors give the expected, but not perfect, outcome. We see the same John Wick, but this time a woman plays the lead part. The negative reviews from reviewers are just a sign that they are tired of the same old world, but that doesn’t mean that this amazing and fun action movie is doomed to fail.