Ballerina Review: With Ana de Armas’ grace and Keanu Reeves' gaze, even a worn plot looks sharp

Ballerina Story:

Eve (Ana de Armas) was a child when she saw members of an unknown vigilante group kill her father. She was then brought into the world of assassins, where she chose to be trained as one, and that gave her life a trigger—her purpose was clear: to kill the man who killed her father. But life isn’t that easy. In this world of assassins, a bounty is set on the number of breaths one takes, and Eve is not safe. The game of this ruthless world begins, and Eve must now navigate her way to the murderer and bring justice to her father.

Ballerina Review:

For a fan of the John Wick franchise who fell in love with the idea that a man avenges the murder of his pet puppy, the idea that the first movie spin-off for the franchise would be based on Eve, a female character, was in itself exciting. Quintessentially a man’s world, the franchise has always been about brave decisions—because how else do you explain what Chad Stahelski did with the action and stunts in John Wick: Chapter 4? So Ana de Armas ge tting her standalone franchise entry is indeed something to celebrate. But now, as the movie finally hits the big screen, are we still on track with the celebrations? Barring some flaws, we definitely are still on board, because the action is still cutting-edge, the panache intact, and the hope that the franchise has branched out well still very much alive.

The beauty of From the World of John Wick: Ballerina lies in the fact that this movie now has a woman at the centre of it all, and the promotional strategy isn’t using that as the only highlight. It is as potent a content piece as it would have been if it starred Keanu again. Add to that the fact that the character Ana de Armas plays is so interesting because she not only has to make space for herself in this world dominantly ruled by men but also ensure she is not seen as a weaker person. Plus, taking over the mantle—at least temporarily—from an actor as massive as Reeves, and in a franchise like John Wick, is already a herculean task. Ballerina takes that on and proves why she deserves to be here.

Written by Shay Hatten with Derek Kolstad and directed by Len Wiseman, Ballerina takes you back to when Eve was a child and her father was taking her away from a syndicate of assassins to give her a better life. The screenplay is structured in a way where it snatches everything away from Eve and shows her building it all over again. This is not a trajectory we’ve already seen. Most of these movies are structured around good vs. evil and how the dedicated ones rise higher. And taking over from Chad Stahelski—someone who understands this world so well—is a massive challenge. The shadow of John Wick looms very large, and it is impossible to scale.

That’s exactly where the plot of this Ana de Armas starrer stumbles. The base plot, if you take away the stylised action, a spectacularly brooding Ana de Armas, and the charming Keanu Reeves, is a basic blueprint that could belong to the first chapter in a book on the genre’s fundamentals. There is no novelty. A villain sits atop his well-guarded fortress; a stylised heroine wants to kill him and end his reign of terror. A montage shows her preparing for the day she meets her enemy. And every possible clichéd trope you can think of is present. What this does is make the first half bland. The only bit of spice is the visual drama, already a rich part of the John Wick world. Plus, the editing in the initial 30 minutes is disjointed, and the pace is so fast it expects you to grasp everything and get into the main conflict immediately.

But this becomes more evident when the actual best part of the movie begins—when the story shifts to a different geographic location where Eve has now gone rogue and ruthless. The drama here is amped up, and the technical prowess is on full display, making it clear what exactly was missing in the first half: a unique story and more action. It becomes a completely different movie in the second half. The action department and Romain Lacourbas take the drama several notches higher—and for the better. There is so much to talk about in the final 30 minutes of the movie, but that would spoil your experience, and that’s not something we do here.

Speaking of performances, Ana de Armas brings so much weight to this character. Her transformation is indeed commendable, and to stand in front of Keanu Reeves in his playground is no small feat. There is so much panache and charm in her portrayal of Eve that you’ll want more of her. Keanu is John Wick, and there is no way you won’t be cheering every single time he appears on screen. Ian McShane can never go wrong, and the rest of the cast clearly understood their assignments well.

Ballerina Review: Final Verdict

Yes, there are flaws, and the plot is basic. But does that mean Ballerina is not worth your time? Certainly not. There is enough to hold your attention visually, and you can see the potential this character has. Give it this chance—and maybe another—to show you how swiftly she can win your heart. Next time, we might get a better plot.\

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina hits the big screen on June 13, 2025. Stay tuned to OTTplay for more information on this and everything else from the world of streaming and films.