Film Review – Pretty Lethal (2026)

      Pretty Lethal, 2026.

      Directed by Vicky Jewson.

      Featuring Lana Condor, Iris Apatow, Millicent Simmonds, Maddie Ziegler, Avantika, Uma Thurman, Michael Culkin, Adam Boncz, Balázs Megyeri, Gary Cothenet, Krisztián Csákvári, Shahaub Roudbari, Miklós Béres, Gábor Nagypál, Julian Krenn, Tamás Szabó Sipos, Péter Végh, and Klára Spilák.

      SYNOPSIS:

      The film chronicles a group of ballerinas trying to escape from a secluded inn when their bus breaks down en route to a dance competition.

      Despite the efforts of director Vicky Jewson and screenwriter Kate Freund in their ballerinas-versus-mobsters disposable streaming venture, Pretty Lethal struggles with its thin narrative (miraculously reaching a runtime of 88 minutes). It also fails to maintain a consistent tone throughout the action sequences. The film frequently oscillates from a grounded sense of danger—highlighting how these ruthless men can easily toss the agile yet nimble women around like rag dolls—to a farcical tone that defies logic and physics, especially when dance sequences involve blades or sharp objects following rhythmic movements.

      There are no typical revelations about characters harboring secret pasts or hidden abilities for violence; instead, the film is caught in a confusing dilemma, unsure whether the ballerina-inspired attacks stand a chance against Hungarian mobsters (an amusing idea I support) or if this constitutes a real threat, particularly since one of the mob leaders shoots their instructor point-blank in the face within the first 20 minutes.

      The plot lacks depth, revolving around a dysfunctional dance troupe that inadvertently encounters trouble when their tour bus breaks down and shady characters come to their rescue, leading them to a hideout. As you may have guessed, these individuals turn out to be mobsters, forcing the ballerinas to collaborate for survival. This setup contributes to the disjointed nature of the hand-to-hand combat scenes which, despite showcasing occasional impressive agility and physicality coupled with clever moments of violence, remain frustratingly limited.

      To an outsider who hasn't witnessed any of the scenes, this may seem overly critical, but the action itself doesn't align with the character dynamics. The ensemble cast, including Lana Condor, Maddie Ziegler, Avantika, Iris Apatow, and unfortunately underutilized Millicent Simmonds of A Quiet Place fame—who has a baffling bathroom detour before the mob violence erupts, where she meets a young man her age and instantly becomes infatuated—depicts the ballerinas as ditzy mean girls (none of the humor lands), sugary, or dismissive of their art form, yet they can suddenly transform their dancing into a superpower, regardless of teamwork.

      When they retaliate with punches and other blows, the violence is excessively brutal for the film’s apparent intent, continually suggesting that the filmmakers lack clarity about the action they envision. Protagonists are frequently shown taking a beating, but the issue lies in the confusion over the film's genre. If it were initially conceived as a darker thriller before being rewritten into an action film that takes too long to become outrageous, that could explain a lot. However, nothing can justify the flimsy and rudimentary nature of the story.

      Among the antagonists, Uma Thurman’s character, former dancer Devora Kasimer, complete with a questionable accent, sees an opportunity to exploit the mobsters' blunders to escape her own precarious situation. Yet, little of this is meaningful or logical, as Devora's motivations only surface in the final 15 minutes. Nonetheless, Pretty Lethal does culminate in an entertaining and somewhat skillfully choreographed full-scale brawl between the now-allied ballerinas and mobsters, accompanied by a classical music piece; this sequence is more successfully absurd, allowing for moments of vulnerability and character development through action. The remaining parts are caught in a limbo, neither absurd enough nor serious enough to resonate effectively.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★

      Robert Kojder