Upon the announcement of Ballerina, some might have wondered what exactly a John Wick film would look like without the titular figure at its center. Ballerina makes it abundantly clear that there should be no need to worry whatsoever. Nobody could ever convince me that an action film utilizing ice skates as punching gloves/nunchuks isn’t worth the time. And that’s not even the tip of the iceberg when it comes to inventive action weaponry. More than anything else, this film proves that the John Wick franchise can extend far beyond its titular character. Yes, Wick (Keanu Reeves) does make an appearance. But it serves as a cherry on top of this wonderful sundae more than anything. Were he not present in the film (not that we’re complaining), it would still function as a wildly entertaining action film. Regardless, this film certainly lives up to the potential of its full name: From the World of John Wick: Ballerina.
A title like that will surely force audiences to grapple with what they expect from the world of John Wick. There’s several answers. But there are two key pillars around which everything else should revolve. The first is a true sense of gleeful mayhem. There’s a propulsion present throughout this franchise which is so rarely achieved in a majority of contemporary action films. To be frank, it’s awesome. Once the wheels start turning, there’s very little that can stop them during the madness that ensues. This film follows Eve (an all-in, fierce Ana de Armas) as she finds herself on a quest for vengeance against The Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne), leader of an unsanctioned and ungoverned cult of killers in the cinematic world. If you’re wondering, it is as ridiculously cool as it sounds. All this is occurring during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (my personal favorite of the franchise). Part of my adoration for that entry in particular is just how non-stop it is. It’s quite literally all gas and no brakes from beginning to end. Despite Ballerina having some brief pauses in the action, it finds itself channeling a similar go-for-broke energy which Parabellum exhibits so well. It flows from action sequence to sequence with careless abandon, culminating in two of the most exciting action set pieces of the year. This is a brutal film which relishes in its imaginative extremity and will have the viewer hooting and hollering as it attempts (and often succeeds) to top itself.
Beyond the pandemonium Eve brings into any space, she and Ballerina also embody the other pillar that holds up this franchise: the world-building. From the very first John Wick, each new entry has managed to expand the world of this franchise in a way that is both fulfilling and continually intriguing. It feels like there’s no end in sight to the varying factions of assassins in this franchise. And we as audience members are all the better for it. From the very outset of Ballerina, we’re presented with the same production elements found in any of the John Wick films. There’s distinct (and always cool-looking) costumes, countless dazzling locations that make wonderful playgrounds for action lunacy, a variety of enigmatic figures all operating with clashing motives, and plenty of props, codes, and rules to abide by, which makes for a ridiculously rich world to inhabit. Even before any familiar faces appear, you can tell you’re in good hands. The stage is set and the world of John Wick expands even further despite operating within the confines of a pre-established timeline. By the time we, the audience, and Eve end up in a snowy mountain village where all the residents are highly-trained lunatic assassins, you’ll feel as overcome with gleeful abandon as Eve feels perplexed at her situation. It’s a wonderfully fun time at the movies, and a testament to why we should get a new entry in this franchise every couple of years, if only to see how far the creative team can stretch their original simple premise of a man seeking vengeance for his puppy! That the first film has become such a bonkers excuse for bloody and excessive cinematic action in all forms is something that I can’t see myself ever complaining about having more of.
FROM THE WORLD OF JOHN WICK: BALLERINA is now available on Digital, 4K UHD and Blu-ray™!