Ballerina (2025)★ 7.1/10

"Ballerina" far exceeded expectations. The cyberpunk-themed world creates an artificial atmosphere that oddly makes the story’s implausibility easier to accept. It feels like a massacre set in a parallel universe. The first half is tightly plotted, though the action scenes are frustratingly fragmented, leaving you wanting more.

The film captures everything that makes the John Wick universe compelling—tight pacing, inventive action, moody synths, and dry wit. As Eve, Ana de Armas doesn’t just match her male counterparts—she surpasses them. Her stare is cold and resolute, yet tinged with grief, as she carves her own path under neon lights without ever flinching.

I came in with high hopes but left disappointed. The film rushes headlong into one killing after another with no real buildup, and the fight choreography bears no resemblance to ballet. Not once does it show how a woman might use grace or precision to outmatch brute force. The final fire-spewing sequence is visually bold, but there’s little else that feels fresh or inventive.

Capa belíssima

"From the World of John Wick: Ballerina" is one of the year’s most exhilarating action spectacles. Ana de Armas blends elegance with lethal precision, bringing a deadly grace to every fight. The choreography is fluid, the set pieces are mesmerizing, and the sound design turns every gunshot and punch into a visceral, full-body experience.

The JOHN WICK franchise consists of some of my favorite action movies of all time. There is now a spinoff that takes place during PARABELLUM, called FROM THE WORLD OF JOHN WICK: BALLERINA. Ridiculous title, I know. This focuses on Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), a ballerina/assassin with a tragic past, not unlike Black Widow. Taken in by Winston (Ian McShane) and given to the Director (Angelica Huston). I’m assuming you’ve watched the JOHN WICK movies, as these are known characters from them. Having been delayed, it was nice seeing the late Lance Reddick reprise his role of Charon one final time. Eve goes on a well-tread path of revenge to avenge her father, leading her to this leader of a new rogue faction/cult, the Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne). The hardest part about this movie was trying to not be overshadowed by John Wick’s other excursions. The beginning action scenes rely on quick camerawork to cover for subpar fighting, but it does get much better as the movie kicks into gear. The action sequences alone are worth watching this in the theater. Norman Reedus is great in this, but he’s underutilized. Some of the dialogue made me roll my eyes, making me think that they should’ve just used the John Wick mantra of “Actions speak louder than words”. I like how they acknowledge the fact that Eve is pretty small, so they utilize different techniques when fighting guys twice her size. I would’ve liked a little more lore, expanding the world, the antagonists, and the people Eve is with. I’m surprised I’m saying this, but this movie has too much John Wick. Give Eve more of a chance to fully blossom into a badass. I also hate that the marketing team had to literally put “John Wick” in the movie title, just so people would go see this. While it doesn’t reach the atmospheric heights of others in this franchise, BALLERINA is a great action movie with a plot you don’t have to care about too much. It is a sturdy enough bridge between JOHN WICK: PARABELLUM and JOHN WICK 4, making me hyped for more movies and spinoffs from this crazy action-packed “rules and consequences” world I love so much.

The camera movement and editing in the action scenes create a really cool audiovisual experience; it's sharp but a bit cheesy at the same time. The imagery has all these fancy techniques that remind me of some sleek music videos. Some of them work great, but others are kinda overkill. The weakest part is the dialogue-driven scenes. The director seems to have a bit of a problem controlling the pacing and flow of the film when things slow down.

The film has good cinematography and an impressive cyberpunk style. Yeah, the fight scenes were intense and brutal, but they just didn't have that impact or adrenaline rush because the actors' martial arts skills weren't up to par. The plot was straightforward and concise, though not very exciting. But I really loved all the different camera shots and that neon aesthetic. It made for a really impactful visual experience. Surprisingly, the most exciting fight scene was the one in the convenience store at the beginning.

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Se a jovem Ana de Armas não vai fazer todas as coreografias que o senhor Reeves fez, que nem venha, brincadeiras a parte a brincadeira já perdeu a graça faz tempo.

¡Una locura! Acción sin parar y una historia que se desarrolla y emociona muchísimo, sin necesidad de la complejidad de John Wick. Es cierto que tiene sus exageraciones, ¡pero eso la convierte en un entretenimiento de primera!

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