Countless cinephiles know the saga of John Wick, the assassin played by Keanu Reeves. But now, theaters present a brand-new tale in the action-packed summer blockbuster titled Ballerina. The movie follows the story of a female hitman trained from childhood. After her past returns, she conducts a full-blown hunt with potentially disastrous consequences. This movie possesses thrills guaranteed to entertain even the most devoted Wick follower. Care to further delve into what some consider an ideal addition to this cinematic universe?
The Next John Wick
Skip this section if you’re planning on seeing this movie and want to remain spoiler-free. Ballerina focuses on Eve Maccarro, an assassin raised and trained by the Ruska Roma. She joins after men with X-shaped scars on their wrists kill her father. However, everything changes when a hitman possessing the same marking attacks her after a mission. She later learns he and they were members of a cult-like community consisting of killers.
Despite her director forbidding her, Eve goes after them to avenge her beloved parent. Her journey even leads her to a former member who’s on the group’s hit list. She continues with her vendetta afterward, which takes her to a village in Austria. Eve tears through the settlement, taking down all opposition until only the leader remains.
Ballerina‘s Two Greatest Strengths
Like with the John Wick movies, Ballerina‘s biggest pro is its heart-pounding action sequences. Every close-quarter brawl in the film is beautifully choreographed, thus making them incredibly mesmerizing. Of course, the pyrotechnics and special effects during the gunfights are just as captivating. The creative finishing blows Eve pulls off are also impressive. They make you think she was either trained by Wick personally or his daughter.
The second biggest strength of Ballerina is its simple-to-follow story. It’s the classic revenge plot, just like in the first John Wick film. But instead of avenging a puppy, Eve wants to kill those who took her father. It also serves as a nice homage to the thriller flick that started the franchise. Still, it’s a straightforward plot that audiences can follow along and enjoy in its entirety.
The Only Con Throughout the Movie
John Wick appears twice throughout Ballerina, adding fan service and tying everything together. His initial arrival reveals the first half of the film occurs during the third movie. This moment works perfectly, though it’s his next appearance that confuses viewers. He participates in the film’s climax, which raises questions about the overall timeline.
Luckily, recent information about the exact placement of Ballerina gave us our answers. The movie takes place primarily between the third and fourth John Wick films. This revelation means the climax ensues before the latter, given Wick’s situation at the time. It’s just never stately clearly, so anyone without this prior knowledge would be perplexed. Nevertheless, it’s a minor issue that doesn’t disrupt or weaken this spectacular action blockbuster.
Final Verdict and Thoughts
After going over the pros and cons, I give Ballerina a 9.5 out of 10! It’s a worthy addition to the John Wick universe, keeping to its core themes. And it presents the ideal opportunity to create a new story with an alternate protagonist. I can see Eve becoming a spiritual successor to Wick following his supposed death. We might even see them together again if John Wick 5 becomes real. Until then, start your summer by watching Ballerina in theaters now!
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