Assassin films featuring women often resort to the hypersexualized femme-fatale archetype that has become so popularized in cinema to cater to the male gaze. The John Wick series of films has notably provided a clear departure from this archetype, and a female-led film was inevitable at some point. Enter From The World of John Wick: Ballerina (2025). In this spin-off set between the events of the third and fourth John Wick films, budding Ruska Roma assassin Eve (Ana de Armas) brutally hunts down the tribe that murdered her father.
What made me the most hesitant about Ballerina was the thought that no one else could carry a John Wick film like Keanu Reeves has done for over a decade. My hesitation was invalidated thanks to de Armas’s powerful performance as a woman seeking revenge and breaking all of the rules in the process. De Armas’s character is not a perfect assassin like Wick, but she has a fierceness in her eyes and a leading screen presence that matches Reeves effortlessly. The audience often sees Eve stumble and get beaten down, but she always gets back up more determined and vicious. This level of commitment to action from an actress as talented as de Armas is inspiring and refreshing. Norman Reedus, the other new addition to the John Wick universe, who finally gets something other than The Walking Dead (2010-2022), is a welcome presence that helped flesh the film out with different yet compelling talent.
As a spin-off, the film works great in the mold of an installment like Rogue One (2016), throwing characters from the entire franchise into roles of differing significance. In a cinematic landscape that prioritizes cameos galore, it was refreshing to see Reeves briefly appear in a tasteful fashion. While the film would have been even more compelling had they left Reeves’ iconic character faceless or completely out of the picture, his appearance was welcome, and we even get to see a morsel of John Wick doing what he does best. Other returning actors include Anjelica Huston, Ian McShane, and the late Lance Reddick, all of whom provide the necessary tools for Eve to complete her mission. Ballerina is one of the better spin-off films in recent memory due to its commitment to the existing worldbuilding and events of other films.
Aside from the performances, the stunt and action choreography matches the other films perfectly, except for more haphazard editing and a considerably lower budget than the main set of films. Director Len Wiseman (2003’s Underworld) brings a fresh set of eyes to the franchise, and the film felt largely his own despite rumors that franchise veteran Chad Stahelski reshot a majority of the film’s action. Much of the action has the same focused, sharp choreography that the franchise is known for, but flair from Wiseman helps it stand out as a film all its own. If the John Wick movies are known for anything, it will be for their genre-shifting approach to action.
The most noticeable problem with Ballerina lies in its writing. While the Wick films have never been a draw because of their scripts, they have always been razor-sharp and as focused as the action. In Ballerina, the film tiptoes along the idea that Eve had a choice to be brought into her dangerous life and may have chosen the wrong one. The film could have been as compelling as the Wick films had they focused on Eve’s internal struggle with the life she chose, but an underdeveloped and forgettable family revenge plot takes center stage instead. It only bogs the film down somewhat, though; as a whole, it is still an incredibly enjoyable action film. The film maintains its footing despite some minor stumbles.
From The World of John Wick: Ballerina explores a previously hidden corner of the franchise in an exciting way. Despite some subpar writing and tired plot points, it’s refreshing to see a spin-off film able to stand on its own so firmly in an age chock-full of episodic cinematic universes. Ana de Armas matches Reeves’ anger and fierce nature but makes Eve her own. A female-led assassin film in this vein was sorely needed, and I am eager to see where the main franchise goes next in its recently announced fifth film.
Review Courtesy of Nadia Arain
Feature Image Credit to Lionsgate via IMDb