BALLERINA Turns Attention to the Parent-Child Bond

Ana de Armas as EVE, Keanu Reeves as JOHN in BALLERINA

Back in 2018, 20th Century Fox released RED SPARROW, a gritty spy thriller starring Jennifer Lawrence. Lawrence plays Dominika Egorova, a Russian ballerina who agrees to become an underground operative after an injury ruins her career. It's a riveting and sexy exploration of desperate measures. BALLERINA, starring Ana de Armas, has a similar premise in a high-action thriller. There's less time spent on the psychology of a trained killer and more time on the butt kicking possibilities that such training unlocks. If only they had put the dancing talents of the ballerina to more use.

Eve's happy childhood (younger self played by Victoria Comte) with her father, Javier (David Castañeda), ends the night that The Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne) and his thugs invade their home and kill Javier. Now, Eve (Ana de Armas) trains as a Ruska Roma assassin under the tutelage of Nogi (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) and The Director (Anjelica Huston). Her role as a kikimora marks her as a protector of the principals she's hired to guard. When an operation puts her in contact with the same crew who killed her father, she determines to follow their trail and seek vengeance for her loss.

Ian McShane as WINSTON, Ana de Armas as EVE in BALLERINA

 
Ballerina gives JOHN WICK fans another chance to enter the high court of top tier assassins they found in previous films. Viewers enjoy the intricate and elaborate codes of conduct found within the underground criminal network and the posh heraldry of high-drama killers. We revisit familiar settings like the Continental Hotel and the black market weapons shop. But there are new characters, organizations, and locations to discover.

The focus on the Ruska Roma also allows the mythology of the criminal underworld to expand, as well. With JOHN WICK, we learned about the Baba Yaga, the boogeyman who is feared above all others. Nogi trains Eve to be a kikimora, capable of being a vengeful or benevolent spirit. In Slavic mythology, the kikimora is a household spirit who lives in the shadows. Her role depends on the behavior of the homeowner. The screenplay writers use these folkloric names to add to the gravitas to the story and tie our characters to cultural traditions that have existed for centuries.

Norman Reedus as DANIEL in BALLERINA

 
Ana de Armas' Eve operates as an intriguing counterpoint to the character of John Wick. He wants to get out of the business of killing but gets pulled back in after being provoked. Eva has no interest in leaving the life of a killer behind but takes a detour to settle unfinished business. Speaking of John Wick, he plays a supporting but important role throughout the story, and he plays nicely against Ana de Armas. He allows her to take center stage, but his scenes are definitely highlights of the story.

The fights in BALLERINA lack the stylish pizazz of the ones featuring Keanu Reeves, but what they do not lack is originality. Eve's training as a dancer and her advice from mentors teaches her to improvise with whatever she finds nearby. Found objects such as ice skates and taping knives become murder weapons, giving viewers something they haven't seen before. Eve's lack of polish makes sense when you consider she is newer to the game. We often see others get the better of her, and she has to fight to recover from the setback. Mine only complaint about the fights is that this is a movie titled BALLERINA with not enough dancing. There should have been at least one showdown with a play on this skill set, perhaps set to some music from a famous ballet.

Lance Reddick as CHARON, Ian McShane as WINSTON, Ana de Armas as EVE in BALLERINA

 
The JOHN WICK films show a man grieving for his lost wife and channeling that longing for connection into a special care for dogs. By contrast, BALLERINA turns attention to the parent-child connection, both how it can be manipulated for good and evil. Eve loses her father and longs for that sense of home. When she meets Daniel Pine (Norman Reedus), his care and protection for his daughter Ella (Ava Joyce McCarthy) cuts through her hardened heart and overrides her instinct not to get involved. But there are just as many instances in BALLERINA where parents see their children as something to control. The Chancellor is the worst perpetrator of this crime, but the quaint and cozy Austrian town of Hallstatt turns out to be a home base for a cult. We see parents allowing their children to be indoctrinated into a system bound to lock them into submission. This thread, however subtle, weaves itself throughout the whole film. The parents who raise you either cherish you or use you, and that has consequences.

BALLERINA in no way reaches the heights of the previous JOHN WICK films but does give Ana de Armas a chance to shine center stage. With films like WARFARE, THE FINAL RECKONING, and KARATE KID: LEGENDS as stiff competition, BALLERINA is hardly destined to be the action thriller of the year, but for those who like their action nonstop, it's your best choice in theaters now.

Release info: June 6, 2025

Final score: 3 out of 5