The Stream: Lulls in the middle of the action make the movie drag.

The Big Screen: Cool fight sequences with more than just guns.

The Final Bill: A good entry into the John Wick world, but it doesn’t set itself apart.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Len Wiseman
Writers: Shay Hatten
Stars: Ana de Armas, Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno
Genre: Action, Thriller
Rating: R for strong/bloody violence throughout, and language.
Runtime: 1 hour 56 minutes
Production Companies: Lionsgate, Thunder Road Pictures, 87Eleven Entertainment, Summit Entertainment
Platform: In theaters June 6, 2025
Notable Trailers: Good Fortune, Nobody 2, Wicked: For Good, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, One Battle After Another

What’s up, Streamers!?! Ever since John Wick 4 ended, fans have clamored for more from its universe. There was The Continental series on Peacock, but that didn’t seem to satisfy the fanbase. Now, it’s time to return to the world of John Wick with Ballerina. In this spinoff of the John Wick franchise, we follow Eve (Ana de Armas), the orphaned daughter of two assassins, who is trained as a ballerina and an assassin herself by the Ruska Roma. Eve discovers that members of the Cult were responsible for her father’s death, and, like John Wick, she decides to go on a revenge tour to kill the leader of the Cult and avenge her father’s death. Globe-hopping, knife-wielding, John-Wickian hijinks ensue.

Typically, I expect propulsive action and thrilling fight sequences from a John Wick movie. John Wick’s motivation throughout the series has basically been to avenge the death of his dog and his own survival. Ballerina is no different. Unfortunately, this movie gets a little bogged down by the story. It’s a simple story, but Eve is a new character that the audience needs some background on. The scenes where the story and integration of the John Wick universe take over make the movie drag. The emotional beats don’t hit as hard as the intense motivation that pushes Keanu as John Wick. It’s unfortunate that Ballerina has the inevitable comparison to a movie with 3 sequels.

Despite that, this movie does have  stylish and inventive action set pieces that fans love. Moreover, it’s not dependent on guns. Eve uses other weapons in a clever way. The fights still are shocking and give the movie a jolt of energy. Ana de Armas is a compelling actress, who tries to bring intensity and vulnerability to Eve. She’s pretty convincing as a trained assassin. There are moments here and there that are unbelievable, but what do you want from this franchise. It does get kind of repetitive and not as fun as the movie wears on. Somehow, what’s lacking most from this movie in the world of John Wick is John Wick. Ballerina should be able to stand on its own without relying on Keanu’s presence, which is a welcome addition when it comes.

Ultimately, Ballerina is a lot like John Wick with its thrilling action sequences and fight scenes; but it is missing something that sets itself apart. Ana de Armas is a compelling lead and holds her own in these elaborate action scenes. While there is some clever fight choreography that doesn’t just rely on guns, it does get repetitive at nearly 2 hours along with lulls that make the movie drag along. A bowl of popcorn for a matinee showing is good enough for this summer action flick.