Ballerina

Directed by Len Wiseman, Ballerina follows Ana de Armas’ title figure as she eventually embarks on a campaign of revenge after her father (David Castañeda’s Javier) is murdered. Filmmaker Wiseman, armed with a script by  Shay Hatten, delivers a refreshingly streamlined endeavor that isn’t, for the most part, bogged down in the tedious, interminable mythology of the John Wick series, as the movie instead boasts a lighthearted and briskly-paced feel that’s enhanced by its smattering of appreciatively engrossing (and brutally violent) action sequences – with de Armas’ agreeable performance certainly perpetuating the movie’s pervasively watchable atmosphere. It’s clear, then, that Ballerina stumbles only as it progresses into a padded-out third act featuring an entirely shoehorned-in appearance by Reeves’ John Wick, and it’s clear, too, that the dimly-lit, flamethrower-focused climactic battle is hardly as engrossing as one might’ve hoped (and expected, based on the effectiveness of virtually every other high-octane digression within the proceedings). There’s nevertheless little doubt that Ballerina predominantly comes off as an entertaining actioner that fares better than its dour predecessors on a recurring basis, which is no small feat, certainly, given the presence of the otherwise entirely underwhelming Wiseman behind the camera (ie to call the movie an improvement over the director’s previous efforts is a massive understatement, to be sure).

*** out of ****