After her father is murdered by a mysterious group of assassins, Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) is accepted into the Ruska Roma crime syndicate. There she is trained as both an assassin and a bodyguard, to become a 'Kikimora'. But when she encounters a man bearing the same mark as those who killed her father, Eve is forced to go against her clan in order to unravel the secrets of her past.
The world of John Wick gets a little bigger with this introduction to another highly trained killer. Having already established her herself as an action star in No Time To Die, Ana de Armas looks to be unstoppable as Eve. Something could certainly be said of her focus, and sheer will. She is driven, but emotional. Her pain feels genuine, and de Armas has clearly tried to do her own thing with the character. It's also interesting to see this world from the perspective of someone who is up and coming, rather than those who have survived in it for many years. But did it really need to be another tale of revenge? Could we not have gone a different route from Mr Wick's story and focused on Eve's rise through the ranks of Ruska Roma?
Anyway. That minor detail aside, Ballerina is still a gripping entry in the world of Wick. And a big reason for that, unsurprisingly, is the action. All of which is beautifully choreographed and absolutely brutal. Interestingly, a 'back to basics' approach seems to have been adopted here. One more in line with the earlier movies. It would seem someone is trying to bring back some sense of realism - no more bulletproof suits, except for Mr Wick's, that is. There are legions of killers, all of whom are rather capable, but what's interesting is how they range from looking rather deadly to surprisingly unassuming. All of which adds to the fun, making it even more of a delight watching Eve decimate those legions. She even finds some creative new ways to do so, including an almost claustrophobic battle in which her only weapons are a box of grenades. And during the finale she gets to try out something new, something that involves fire.
While Eve travels to some beautiful locations as she searches for answers, Anjelica Huston's 'Director' is forced to try and pick up the pieces. It lacks the intrigue of her role in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, but Huston is still great as the brutal head of Ruska Roma. As are Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, and Norman Reedus in their minor roles. Unfortunately, despite bringing a fittingly chilling performance, Gabriel Byrne isn't given the chance to do anything particularly interesting as 'The Chancellor'. Apart from a tense back and forth here and there with Huston, that is. Whereas Keanu Reeves' appearance kind of works, and yet it also doesn't. Seeing him in the early part of the movie makes sense, as does his first meeting with Eve. But later on, as much as it's fun to see him in action, his presence feels a little forced. Like he's simply there to remind us that Ballerina is an extension of the world seen in the John Wick movies. Although, seeing Eve go from enamoured to "bring it" is pretty awesome.
Rumours surrounding director Len Wiseman, his original cut of the movie, and the reshoots supposedly involving Chad Stahelski, aside, Ballerina is a fantastic way to open up this crazy but colourful underworld. That is, despite the fact it might have been more interesting to follow this new assassin's rise through the ranks. Rather than to see her simply fall into a similar predicament as 'Baba Yaga' - something the filmmakers seemed to be in a real rush to make happen. Still, Ana de Armas is perfect as Eve, who proves to be a great new protagonist to follow into greater depths of this world, and it's exciting to contemplate where she will go next, as well as what Stahelski and his team have in store for her.
Another exciting expansion of the world of Wick. One that opens it up to some interesting new possibilities. Ana de Armas is fantastic as Eve. However, it is a shame the filmmakers felt the need to box her into such a similar situation as the man that kicked this franchise off.
8/10
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