With the popularity of the JOHN WICK film franchise, already resulting in four movies with the title character, it’s not surprising that Lionsgate saw fit to launch a spin-off movie or two, especially after we already saw THE CONTINENTAL streaming series. The first official spinoff movie is BALLERINA, which also utilizes “FROM THE WORLD OF JOHN WICK” in its title.  The expands the concept already introduced in the franchise of female assassins trained from a young age in a “ballerina” school, which is very much connected with the people who control John Wick’s activities as well.

We are introduced to Eve in a flashback, a young girl who is living with her father, who is mixed up in… something, and is now a target for assassination led by “The Chancellor” (Gabriel Byrne).  Eve witnesses him getting nearly killed, but they just barely escape, and her father dies in her arms.  She then meets Winston (Ian McShane), who takes her to be raised in the Ruska Roma organization (the ballerina school), led by The Director (Anjelica Huston), where she studies for the next 12 years to be a deadly threat.  After going out on her first assignment, Eve (Ana De Armas) becomes aware of assassins bearing a brand on their arm that matches that of the men who killed her father, and she decides to pursue this against the wishes of The Director.  This leads her to the trail of The Chancellor, and the discovery that his assassins are actually a cult, but her defiance eventually makes her a target for the Ruska Roma, who ultimately decide to send John Wick (Keanu Reeves) after her to clean up the mess.

BALLERINA contains some pretty stylish and well-choreographed action sequences, some of which are really impressive and intense.  It matches the level of the JOHN WICK films and definitely offers satisfying butt kicking in a big way.  But the action here seems to outweigh the story and character development to the point where the film itself just isn’t very memorable or meaningful.  It also feels like we’re watching a movie with a character we should already know, rather than a film that’s helping us understand who this character is and why she does what she does.  Ana De Armas is really believable and competent in the lead role, and handles herself quite well with the action stuff, but her character is just a bit too hollow here, and the film misses a chance to give her any sort of real depth.  For example, the first few fight sequences end with her not being able (seemingly) to kill the people she’s going up against, almost as if she either doesn’t want to, or hasn’t reached the point where she can justify it… and then in the next fight scene, she’s just killing everyone without hesitation.  There was an opportunity there for her to deal with the conflict of whether or not killing is indeed necessary, or perhaps learning how leaving the enemy alive could backfire on her in a big way, but it’s never really dealt with.  There’s also a subplot with her losing a sister, but that subplot never really seems to go anywhere or lead to anything meaningful.

There are plenty of interesting side characters to fill the story, including familiar faces like Ian McShane, Anjelica Houston and Lance Reddick reprising their roles from the previous JOHN WICK movies… I was particularly happy to see the late (and yes, great) Lance Reddick again inside The Continental hotel, and while he’s only in it a small amount, it’s great to have him here one last time regardless.  Gabriel Byrne is good as a suitable baddie here, and the idea of his character leading a cult is an interesting one, though never quite fully explained the way it could have been.  For example, there’s a point where Eve arrives in a German town where everyone is part of the cult, and they all start attacking her.  That’s interesting, and there’s a lot that could have been explored there, including the children living with the adults in the town, but it’s never really expanded on.  THE WALKING DEAD’s Norman Reedus plays a character who “escaped” the cult and is trying to protect his daughter, but he’s not given a lot material to work with, other than give a little exposition to help Eve track down the enemy.  And while it’s great seeing Keanu Reeves back as John Wick, it does feel a bit like stunt casting to appease the fans, more than an organic inclusion.  There’s even a fight sequence at the end where Wick is in it so much, it almost stops feeling like Eve’s movie for a bit.

While BALLERINA is a bit thin on plot and emotional gravitas, it makes up for its shortcomings with really awesome action scenes, some of which surprisingly feel a level above what we’ve already seen in this popular franchise.  There is one particular sequence involving dueling flamethrowers that is nothing short of incredible and one of the coolest fight scenes I’ve ever witnessed in this kind of film.  The movie may not go down as a necessary or endearing entry in the series, but it does pack a good amount of punch.  I wished it could have been something a bit more than what it was, but what it is manages to still be fairly entertaining.

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