Movies: Ballerina Review

Yeah, so I watched Ballerina recently and honestly, the movie was great. It was like that fresh thing they added to the John Wick universe, but at the same time, it still had that same feel that made us fall in love with the franchise. You know how it is—some people are like “it is just the same action, same formula,” but honestly, let us not lie, that formula works. That is the whole point. Same way people enjoy Jason Statham’s movies. It is the same guy, same tough energy, he beats people, he drives cars, he is mad with the hands, and somehow we do not get tired. Why? `cause he is good at it. That is how John Wick is.

From John Wick 1 to 4, and now Ballerina, they have mastered that clean fighting choreography. Everything just looks nice and sharp. You are watching it and you know it is the same gritty world, but they always make it feel new and nostalgic at the same time. With Ballerina, it was different in the sense that, this one really felt like we were following a person’s journey into the madness of that world. Like, this is the story of a girl who did not even want to go back, but her past just dragged her back in.

The action was just peak. From the beginning, when Eve started tracing the cult and going to those places—fighting, stabbing, shooting, braining people with hammers—the violence was raw. And as I was watching it, I noticed something: it was basically her vs a whole town. Not just one guy or a small group. The whole place, the whole system, was against her. Everyone inside it was involved in some way. That is why nobody who goes looking for it comes back. It was never even a case of bad luck—those people were imply killed.

So yeah, she eventually gets caught. Makes sense. She is not immortal. But then the chancellor comes in, and that whole conversation they had? That was when everything just started making sense. He explained why they do not let anyone leave—even kids. And she was like, that was exactly how they came to take her when she was small. The whole thing just clicked. The cycle. And that was when we found out about Lena—her sister. I did not even see that coming. They had the same father, but when he escaped with Eve, he could not get Lena out too. So Lena stayed. Became part of the cult. Lived in it. Grew in it.

Now picture that: the same sister you did not know you had turns out to be part of the same “family” that killed your father. That was deeper than anything I expected. And even though Lena’s death came fast—it ended just as it started—it still left something emotional behind. It gave that “you can’t save everyone” kind of sting.

What Ballerina also did well was that world-building. Like, they expanded the John Wick verse in a way that felt grounded. We already knew about Ruska Roma from John’s background, but now we saw another group—the cult. I cannot even remember the name they called themselves exactly, but it was not the High Table, it was not Continental stuff. Doubt it was said. This was like another faction operating outside the whole gentleman assassin structure. No codes. No rules. Just raw loyalty and blood.

Some fans complained, talking about “as soon as they said the word cult, I thought it would be about sacrifice or dark magic” or “it feels like child slavery mixed with forced adoption” or “this was messy writing.” But honestly, that is surface-level analysis. The movie was NEVER about supernatural cults or witchcraft. It was about control. That whole community was about taking people young, raising them to kill, forcing them to stay, even pretending to build “families” by reshuffling kids into different roles just to maintain appearances which is crazy. I would imagine that should be more disturbing than some goat-skull sacrifice or fire ritual. That is psychological violence, and it works because it is realistic.

Another thing I really appreciated was how Eve felt more like a “one-woman army” than even Wick did. And let me be clear: I am NOT saying she is better than Wick. She is not. They fought. He beat her. No argument. But in this movie? The way she moved? She was a walking war. Grenades, blades, brute force. The kills were not smooth—they were personal. She was angry. She was desperate. She was broken and wild. That is what sold it. Much akin to John but distinct.

The whole aesthetic was good. The cinematography. The atmosphere. The use of red lights I think, smoke, silence, then gunshots. It all just worked. You are watching and feeling like this is someone who did not ask to be thrown into this life but once she is in, she is going to make sure blood spills.

So yeah, Ballerina was honestly such a solid addition to the John Wick universe. It did not try to be better than the original. It did not try to be too different either. It just carved its own lane, gave us a story that felt intimate but still deadly, and most importantly—it felt earned.

But what do I know? This is just my opinion. Let us know what you think down in the comments below. Cheers!