From the World of John Wick: Ballerina Movie Review – Is This the Rise of the New Baba Yaga?

It’s been 11 years since John Wick introduced us to a grieving hitman who just wanted to mourn his wife and pet his dog in peace. That small film, directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad, sparked a full-blown action franchise, resurrected Keanu Reeves’ career, and added “gun-fu” to the pop culture dictionary. Now, after four adrenaline-drenched films and a misfired detour in the form of The Continental, we’re back in that violent, suit-tailored universe with Ballerina, a new spin-off that gives Ana de Armas all the powers of Baba Yaga.

Just like the first film in the franchise, the story here is straightforward. Eve Macarro lives with her father, Javier Macarro (David Castañeda), near the coast, protected by the surrounding waters and the army of guards around their home. But things take a turn for the worse when The Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne) comes looking for Javier. During an altercation and attempt to escape, Javier is killed. Sometime after, Eve, now orphaned, is picked up by Winston (Ian McShane), who runs The Continental Hotel in New York and proceeds to set up a meeting for her with The Director (Anjelica Huston) to become a Ballerina. And so, her life begins on the road to becoming a paid assassin. 

As is often the case in her line of work, things don’t always go as planned. During one of her paid gigs, Eve comes across a man who bears the same mark as the assassins who raided her home as a kid. This reignites her past and sets the course of revenge against the group.

Is Ballerina a character study? No. At its core, it’s a tale of revenge. If you’re looking for an in-depth story with surprise twists, this isn’t that film. The Wick-verse isn’t here to reinvent cinema. It’s here to punch, stab, and shoot its way through it.

Notably, the film makes us, as viewers, aware that Eve will never have the same strength as John Wick does. But, instead of just sidelining these attributes, Eve is told to embrace them and use all she has at her disposal to overcome them. The actual words “fight like a girl” are spoken, meant to drive home this message. She’s nimble, tactical, and resourceful, not just a clone of the Baba Yaga.

Still, the film stumbles here and there. There are moments where Eve’s decisions feel off. The most glaring of these is her driving a US muscle car, a black Ford Mustang, into a remote European town filled with Volvos and other everyday European cars. If you’re attempting to go unnoticed to reach your target, you may not want to stick out as easily. Or was it a smart attempt at drawing everyone pitted against her to the surface? 

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina doesn’t rewrite the action rulebook, but it doesn’t need to. It delivers stylish violence, cool assassins, and a new lead with potential. Is Eve the next Baba Yaga? Not yet. But give her a few more bodies and a proper sequel, and she might just earn that title.

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