Explosions, club fights, a hotel and pricey bounties. This is the reality which forms the “John Wick” movie franchise. With high-octane action sequences, a character with a purpose and the prevalence of choice, “Ballerina” is a thrilling addition to the iconic saga.
The movie, whose alternative title is “From the World of John Wick: Ballerina,” was directed by Len Wiseman and produced by Lionsgate. The film’s soundtrack was produced by Joel J. Richard and Tyler Bates.
Ana de Armas stars as Eve Macarro, Anjelica Huston as the Director, Gabriel Byrne as the Chancellor, and Norman Reedus as Daniel Pine. Additionally other characters from the main franchise return like fan favorite Keanu Reeves, who plays John Wick.
Though technically a part of the franchise, the premise of this film revolves around a new main character, Macarro, who is seeking revenge for the death of her father at the hands of a cult organization.
Revealing her purpose to fight and initiating the mission forms the beginning of the movie.
Macarro’s reasoning for becoming an assassin is similar to that of Wick. While he lost his dog in the first film, she lost her father.
She finds the Ruska Roma, an underground organization that trains mercenaries and hosts public ballet productions to hide their true purpose. While training to become an assassin, she is also rehearsing for a ballet production of “Swan Lake,” hence the film’s title, “Ballerina.”
Like any movie in the “John Wick” franchise, a club fight scene is a vital component of this film, which in this case is supported by energetic electronic club music.
Once a fight scene begins, it’s a nonstop adrenaline-filled chaotic sequence revolving around guns, explosions and hand-to-hand combat.
Such cinematic shots are those like when Macarro faces off against several hitmen sent in a club. There’s an intense exchange of blows between the main character and these mercenaries, causing her to even swing an ice pick used for sculpting at one of them.
Much later in the film, Macarro also has a fiery exchange with another hitman using flamethrowers. Having a bird’s eye view as the camera shot choice shows off the burning spectacle of chaos.
Once Wick arrives at the scene, though only having a minor role in the mission, he shows off why he’s as dangerous as the stories tell. Squaring off against multiple hitmen and winning is nothing out of the ordinary for him.
“Swan Lake Suite, Op. 20: I. Scene 1” by Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky is the main theme song of the movie because the composition is from the ballet production “Swan Lake,” which is a part of the film. The theme plays frequently through a dancing ballerina snow globe that was first given to Macarro by her father.
In contrast, the rest of the soundtrack consists of a variation of electronic synthesized beats.
A prevalent motif is the idea of how much impact a choice can have, along with its potential consequences.
Even when Macarro is told multiple times to not pursue the cult responsible for her father’s death, she charges on.
Even when she struggles to get the steps right during ballet rehearsals, she presses on.
Even when there are multiple mercenaries surrounding her, she clashes on.
However, other characters, such as the Chancellor, stick with the belief that it’s fate for one to be in the life they are. For example, he believes that in Macarro’s case, she fell into the world her father attempted to escape from.
Despite that, her choices throughout the film determine whether or not she survives. While Macarro could partake in the criminal underground for the fun of it, she instead finds the purpose of avenging her father’s death.
All in all, with a mix of intense action, the impact of choices and fighting with a purpose, “Ballerina” blazes its way to being as exhilarating as its franchise predecessors.
Copy edited by Kaitlyn Mahan