“Careful, miss, your bag is leaking,” a passerby might say to Eve Makarrov (Ana de Armas), the protagonist of the new film “Ballerina.” Inside her bag are the severed limbs of nameless enemies, against whom Eve rebels alone, much like her idol and colleague, John Wick (Keanu Reeves). This new installment in the franchise marks the first time a female character takes center stage—Emerald Fennell (“Promising Young Woman”) even contributed to the script to ensure authenticity. After four solo films and a less successful mini-series (“The Continental”), Wick’s legacy is revived in a brisk but largely unnecessary spin-off that gleefully kicks off the summer blockbuster season.
Ana de Armas as Eve in “Ballerina”
A Dance of Revenge
The story unfolds between the third and fourth “Wick” films. As a child, Eve’s father, a significant figure in the criminal underworld, was murdered. She vows revenge and, after 12 years of rigorous training, becomes a professional assassin within “Ruska Roma” (an influential Romani mafia with Russian and Belarusian members). Eve’s superior, The Director (Anjelica Huston), advises her to avoid personal vendettas, as her father’s killers operate outside the law, like savage cultists. Defying this warning, Eve ignites a full-blown war against killers of all kinds.
Ana de Armas as Eve in “Ballerina”
Pirouettes and Punches
“Change the terms” and “Fight like a girl” are two mottos that encourage Eve during her combat training. There will always be someone stronger, faster, more convincing. “Ballerina,” like a diligent student at a ballet academy, confidently executes familiar genre pirouettes, but it seriously lacks the motivation and depth of its predecessors. A murdered relative pales in comparison to a dead puppy and the fury of its owner, which launched one of the most important action series in recent history. Director Len Wiseman (“Underworld”) frequently sought guidance from Chad Stahelski, the creator and main inspiration behind “Wick” (making Wiseman’s role somewhat unclear). Oscar nominee de Armas, no stranger to action films (“The Gray Man,” a brilliant cameo in “No Time to Die”), fights excellently, has a particular fondness for grenades, and literally throws them into her enemies’ mouths. All the rules are seemingly followed, but the actress cannot compete with Reeves’ legacy, charisma, and “star” status.
Ana de Armas as Eve in “Ballerina”
Limited Imagination, Explosive Finale
Assessing the quality of dialogue in an action film is often a thankless and even pointless task. However, “Wick” skillfully avoided unnatural pathos, often used irony, and frequently offered the audience a welcome farce as a respite between battles, building an entire mythology. “Ballerina” is limited in its imagination, so it throws all its energy into a jaw-dropping final act. Wick himself briefly appears, ordered to eliminate the rebellious Eve. The characters will surely reunite in the future, but for now, they only exchange combat experience and realistically groan (Reeves’ age is showing). In supporting roles, we see the sinister Gabriel Byrne as the main antagonist, Chancellor, and the caring father figure Norman Reedus (“The Walking Dead”).
Nods to the Masters
The film includes nods to physical comedy master Buster Keaton, as well as the obligatory Tarkovsky retrospective poster and Tchaikovsky music for films with Russian-speaking characters. Accompanied by Evanescence on the closing credits, “Ballerina” can be cautiously recommended to all “Wick” fans. Whether Eve Makarrov deserves her own franchise remains to be seen. But that leaking bag of limbs? Definitely time to throw it away.