From the Universe of John Wick: Ballerina (2025) - Film Review

      **From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, 2025.**

      Directed by Len Wiseman.

      Featuring Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Norman Reedus, Keanu Reeves, Lance Reddick, Ian McShane, Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Ava Joyce McCarthy, Juliet Doherty, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Robert Maaser, Victoria Comte, David Castañeda, Sooyoung Choi, Rila Fukushima, Magdalena Sittova, Waris Ahluwalia, Daniel Bernhardt, Jackson Spidell, Zac Ladkin, Tracie Bennett, and Abraham Popoola.

      **SYNOPSIS:**

      An assassin, trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma organization, embarks on a quest for vengeance following her father's death.

      Spinoffs for the John Wick franchise (owned by the financially struggling Lionsgate) were inevitable. The positive aspect is that the franchise’s rich mythology, assassin organizations, sacred places, and detailed rules readily lend themselves to spinoffs. However, rules are often broken, which aligns well with director Len Wiseman's approach (based on a screenplay by Chapter 3 co-writer Shay Hatten, who has also contributed to projects like Rebel Moon). Wiseman's film, clumsily titled *From the World of John Wick: Ballerina*, typically discovers action in unexpected places and times, courtesy of a new assassin group that disregards all rules. This subversive take on action is among the spinoff's few strengths.

      Len Wiseman, who has not had an especially strong track record, has only recently emerged from director jail after the underwhelming *Total Recall* remake and the generic *Underworld* films. The choice of this duo to continue the legacy of one of the greatest modern action franchises is puzzling, but the outcome could have been worse. A significant issue is that despite Ana de Armas' impressive physical dedication to her role as a vengeful ballerina-assassin, the filmmakers replicate certain iconic sequences without the same creativity, energy, momentum, and stakes.

      It is a frustrating distraction that they are aware of the stylistic and visual essence of John Wick action (the overhead flamethrower shot feels forced; this perspective was used creatively in Chapter 4) yet struggle to make it impactful. The absence of regular cinematographer Dan Lautsen and the late involvement of longtime series director Chad Stahelski for re-shoots— the extent of which remains debatable— contributes to the inconsistency. It's disappointing to note that the flamethrower chaos and duel stand out as the action's highlights alongside some brutal explosive kills.

      Expectations for *From the World of John Wick: Ballerina* were always tempered, and while it's not a bad movie, it appears caught between a desire to broaden the universe and a tendency to recycle action's greatest hits. This does not spell disaster for the film. However, where *From the World of John Wick: Ballerina* struggles most is in its attempt to blend absurdity with realistic storytelling, something previous films managed to do effectively. The narrative becomes increasingly ridiculous while refusing to explain the cult that Ana de Armas' character, Eve, confronts as she seeks revenge for the murder of her father before her eyes in her childhood, desperately trying to escape that life.

      Midway through, she encounters Norman Reedus' Daniel Pine, a father on the run with his young daughter from the same cult led by Gabriel Byrne's cold-hearted Chancellor, who employs morally twisted logic to claim superiority over the Ruska Roma (training female assassins through ballet). He believes that his anarchic community offers freedom while denying the notion that the Ruska Roma are being given choices. Still, when we finally see this community, it raises questions about how these seemingly decent men and fathers have been drawn into the cult. Moreover, this snowy, lawless town has apparently existed for thousands of years without any law enforcement interference.

      Surprisingly, the filmmakers seem oblivious to the potential storyline of a woman aiding a father in protecting his daughter from the same circumstances that led to her father's death. Norman Reedus feels underutilized here, unless there's hope for future sequels that would allow him to be more involved. One shudders to think of what the title of that sequel could be—*From the John Wick Universe and the Ballerina Story: Assassin Daryl Dixon!* The finale also underscores the filmmakers' lack of trust in their own vision, prioritizing fan service by incorporating John Wick into a scenario where he seems unnecessary. This is reminiscent of every new Star Wars installment circling back to the Skywalker saga. Additionally, several plot reveals lead nowhere, making much of this feel like a setup for sequels, lacking emotional resolution.

      The revenge theme, while traditionally a strong foundation of the franchise built on bodies