Cast: Ana de Armas, Angelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, Keanu Reeves
Crew:
Based on Characters by Derek Kolstad
Written by Shay Hatten
Cinematography by Romain Lacourbas
Edited by Jason Ballantine
Music by Tyler Bates, Joel J. Richard
Directed by Len Wiseman
Produced by Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Chad Stahelski
John Wick films have created a huge phenomenon with Keanu Reeves resurgence as action star. The fourth installment has ended his character on a high but as many people are trying to create Universe out of their stand-out films, we get Wick-verse kick starting with Ballerina. Ana de Armas has been cast to become the lady equivalent or slightly different to John Wick. How is this spin-off? Let’s discuss about the movie in detail.
Plot:
Eve Marcarro (Ana de Armas) looses her assassin father who is trying to free her from the cult that her grandfather Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne) heads. He attacks their residence and asks him to choose to die or let be the killer of both him and his daughter, like his daughter. Eve chooses violence to save her father and he dies in the exchange of fire helping her escape. Winston Scott (Ian McShane) takes her to the Director (Anjelica Huston) of Ruska Roma. Eve chooses to get trained under them.12 Years later, she works hard to achieve a status where they let her be an assassin, taking up bounty jobs as an independent under the network.
She proves her worth and in two months, she starts completing big jobs. During one job, a person who belongs to her grandfather’s cult attacks her and she decides to find the location where they belong and get her revenge. Ruska Roma Director doesn’t agree for this but she doesn’t stop. In her quest, she finds out that Daniel Pine (Norman Reedus), son of her grandfather is looking to escape the cult with his daughter Ella, just like her father. Can she help them and get her revenge? Watch the movie to know.
Analysis:
The movie doesn’t have any novelty in story and John Wick films have never been known for being so novel in plot. But in screenplay and action sequences, the novelty and raw violence makes them stand out. The movies marked the resurgence of a likeable star like Keanu Reeves too and now, with Ana de Armas, the makers have ideas to continue forward. While the John Wick verse brought out huge number of assassins, with a top level almost God like person, taking them out.
So, an equally trained assassin taking on another, made it unique to watch out. But when it comes to Ballerina, we are asked to watch how one gets trained to become such ruthless assassin and how their pain, sadness and passion for violence are nutured with dedication. While that stretch tries to be novel, it also becomes too familiar following Red Sparrow, origin story of Black Widow. This feels a little bit too lethargically written as well as we don’t feel Ana’s character evolving.
Due to this lack of emotional connect with her character, her choices in the later film, don’t really sit so well. The initial stretch of the movie also doesn’t really bring such great connectibility to the character being too simple and common. Hence, while the action sequences are well choreographed and executed, still they lack the similar awe factor that John Wick did bring to the screens.
With Ana de Armas being in form and cameo by Keanu Reeves makes it a watchable flick. It is a decent action drama with one set-piece and another trying to add something better. With better emotional connectivity and writing, characters, this would have been solid flick to kick start another John Wick spin off series with women in lead. Still, one can give it a try as it offers few novelistic things here and there in stunts.
Bottomline:
Action lovers can give it a try but with low expectations.
Rating: 2.5/5
Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this review are personal views/opinions shared by the writer and organisation does not hold a liability to them.
