After the John Wick franchise seemed to end with Chapter 4, two years later we get Ballerina, a spinoff from the same universe. With more spinoffs and John Wick 5 being announced, does Ballerina manage to expand the world in a good way to make us interested enough in future installments? Well, it does.
Ballerina (2025) is a spin-off from the John Wick franchise. The film follows a young female assassin who is a skilled ballerina. After the murder of her family, she seeks revenge against those responsible. Drawing on her training in ballet and combat, she navigates a dangerous world of assassins and crime, using her agility and grace to take down her enemies. The story explores themes of vengeance, loss, and the intersection of art and violence, all set against the backdrop of the high-stakes assassin underworld.
If there’s a movie genre that I feel like I’ve had enough, that genre is “revenge action films.” Don’t get me wrong, John Wick is epic and a great revenge film, but I feel like we’re in times where it’s already been over saturated in way that I’m just not interested anymore in these kind of movies. They always follow the same formula and feature the same plot twists and turns you’d expect in a film like this. Ballerina is more of the same, yes, the plot is not good at all but is a movie that relies on the action sequences and boy… the action sequences deliver.
We learn about new groups of people and more from this world, Ballerina shows us that there’s much more than just what was shown in the John Wick films, the thing is that I don’t know if I’m intrigued and interested enough to see more films from this franchise. I’ll definitely watch them, but until when are we gonna keep milking it? I think the film was a great farewell for the late amazing actor Lance Riddick that recently passed away. All the camera work is amazing, and as I mentioned, expect insane, groundbreaking action sequences that will definitely leave you on the edge of your seat. And it’s not gradual scenes, it’s action for the entire movie.
Can’t forget to mention how amazing Ana de Armas is in this. If you think John Wick is a great character, wait until you see the female version of the character. They have a lot of similarities, they have skills and fight for what they love. Plus they’re scenes with each other are top tier. I think John Wick’s participation in this felt perfect. Plus Keanu Reeves is a star.
It’s hard to give a high rating to a film with a bad story. Ballerina might have a very weak plot, but it’s carried by its groundbreaking action sequences and amazing characters that will leave you eager to see more from this world.
Ballerina: From The World Of John Wick releases in theaters on June 6.
