Ballerina From The World Of John Wick

Ballerina (2025) – Review

⚠️ Gore/Violence Warning: Like the other John Wick films, Ballerina features strong graphic violence, bloodshed, gun-fu, cult-related imagery, flamethrowers, close-range executions, and more. Viewer discretion is advised.

Let’s start off by showing y’all the trailers to this film… so enjoy!

Yeah, if y’all can’t tell by those trailers, this film is definitely action-packed… anyways, let’s get into the review, shall we?

Also, can u spot the issue in the poster and these trailers? If ur first guess is Keanu then u win a gold star, Why’s he prevalent? Why in the poster is he somehow nearly as big as our main lead on the poster? Why’s half her face covered while his is fully exposed?

Non-Spoiler Rundown:

Set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4, Ballerina is the first full-length spin-off in the John Wick universe. It follows a young assassin named Rooney (Ana de Armas), a ballerina raised by the Ruska Roma. She sets off on a blood-soaked journey to avenge the death of her father and uncover the truth behind the cult-like organization responsible.

If you were wondering how John Wick ties into this… yes, Keanu Reeves does show up, but mostly in a transitional way. His first appearance is within the first 20 minutes of the film, during a scene that overlaps with Chapter 3. It’s from Rooney’s point of view as she briefly encounters him while he’s visiting the Director (Anjelica Huston).

Here’s the interaction:

Rooney: “It’s you, isn’t it? The Baba Yaga? Tell me… how do I leave?”
John Wick: “The front door is unlocked.”
Rooney: “No, I mean how do I leave and go do what you do?”
John Wick: “Looks like you already have.”
Rooney: “Wait, I overheard you talking about wanting to leave. Why haven’t you already?”
John Wick: “I’m working on it.”

It’s a quiet but telling moment that cements Rooney as someone at the edge of becoming a legend herself.

Character Highlights:

Rooney (Ana de Armas): A powerful, driven protagonist who feels grounded in grief. She brings emotional weight and vulnerability to the action. Easily one of the more compelling new characters in the franchise.
The Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne): A twisted cult leader who believes suffering is necessary to purify the world. Creepy, manipulative, and cold. You root for his downfall immediately.
Mr. Pine (Norman Reedus): A father trying to protect his daughter from the cult. Reedus plays him fine… but let’s be honest, he still doesn’t look right in a tuxedo, and he kind of feels out of place in this universe. He feels less like an in universe character and more feels like he came in straight from the Walking Dead and walked straight into this.
John Wick (Keanu Reeves): Appears minimally, mostly to connect the timelines. Thankfully, Ballerina actually gives him full sentences to say, unlike in Chapter 4, where he mostly grunted like a haunted GPS.
BTW can we talk about the way he speaks, oh lord the way he speaks. Every line he says it sounds like he’s asking a question or is confused, like for example “I’m…..gonna…..order, fries?”
Another example someone says a Russian word Dosvidanya, and Wick says it like this “Dos….vindanya?” Like dude are u ok? Do u need help?
The Director (Anjelica Huston): Briefly returns and plays a pivotal role in setting the film’s emotional stakes. Her actions in the third act cause major repercussions.
Winston (Ian McShane): Shows up near the end and has one killer final line.

Pros:

Rooney is a worthy addition to the franchise and holds her own.
Gorgeous snowy visuals and neo-noir aesthetics.
The flamethrower fight and sniper moment are unforgettable.
Adds depth to the Ruska Roma side of the world.
Gabriel Byrne’s villain performance is chilling.
It feels like John Wick 3.5, in a good way.
Also, the kills get creative, I mean she uses ice skates in the 3rd act as nunchucks. Also, she throws an axe to someone’s face in this film.
There are also tons of explosions. Lots of lots of explosions, Rooney mainly uses grenades in this film.
Also that flamethrower fight in the 3rd act is absurdly epic.
Also there’s a camera shot where she drives awya in an alley way and we see a birds eye view of her driving away, then this car comes and whames into her car and pushes it back into thr alley way where thr come zooms back In to seeing her car being pushed by that other car while she’s hanging out the side of the door all the while the enemy is shooting at her with a machine gun.

Cons:

The third act drags—about 40 minutes of non-stop shooting, flamethrowers, and chaos.
John Wick’s presence in the third act disrupts continuity—he’s supposed to be on the run and excommunicado, yet somehow finds time to take a hired job?
Norman Reedus feels slightly miscast. Or completely miscasted.
There’s no masquerade scene or a reconnecting moment with Wick despite some trailers suggesting otherwise.
The film gives no room for breathing for her to emote or breathe, it’s just action after action after action after action.
The Revenge plot doesn’t feel as interesting as John Wick wanting Revenge for his dog being killed.

Final Rating: 7/10

⚠️ Spoilers Ahead – You’ve Been Warned ⚠️

The plot kicks into high gear when Rooney travels to a snow-covered village run by The Chancellor and his cult. She infiltrates the town, only to be pulled aside by a mysterious woman—turns out, it’s Lorenza Izzo as Rooney’s long-lost sister. In a quiet house, she confesses the truth: they were separated as kids, and yes, she’s been keeping an eye on Rooney ever since she saw her at the Continental. The sister says, “At least we’re honest here. The Chancellor cares about us.” …Cut to the Chancellor ordering both of them to be killed.

So much for honesty.

As the Chancellor orders the town’s cultists to hunt Rooney down, he contacts Anjelica Huston’s character and tells her the truce is off—unless she calls Rooney off. But she can’t. Rooney’s doing this on her own. So Angelika sends in him—the Baba Yaga himself.

John Wick is sent to eliminate Rooney.

Wick shows up. The Chancellor tells his men to stand down and let Wick handle it. When Rooney sees him, she’s stunned.

Rooney: “You’re here to kill me?”

Wick: “That’s your choice. You can walk away.”

They fight briefly, but it’s clear Wick is holding back. Eventually, both of them are on the floor. Rooney says:

Rooney: “He killed my dad.”

Wick: “I know.”

Rooney: “Then let me finish this.”

Wick looks at her wristwatch. It reads 11:34pm.

Wick: “The deed’s gotta be done by midnight. Or else.”

They both say the words: “Choices… and consequences.” Then they stand, and he lets her go.

Meanwhile, the Chancellor is told they’ve lost track of Wick and that Rooney is heading his way. He panics and flees in a car with the girl he kidnapped. Rooney sees the car, shoots the driver, and confronts the Chancellor.

Chancellor: “Even if you save her, the cycle won’t stop. My town will thrive long after I’m gone. These kids will grow into the next generation. You’ve stopped nothing.”

Rooney responds by shooting him in the head. Brutal. Deserved.

We cut to her arriving at Winston’s Continental. Angelika Huston has now placed a bounty on her head. Rooney is the next target. Winston warns her:
“You may have bitten the head off the snake… but it will bite back.”

The film ends at a ballerina performance. Rooney stands among the crowd, watching. Suddenly, assassins’ phones go off with a bounty alert. Hers vibrates too. Her name is on the list.

She walks off calmly.

Fade to black.

Final Thoughts:
Ballerina may not be the best of the franchise, but it’s stylish, emotionally driven, and introduces a new assassin who absolutely earns her place. While the third act overstays its welcome, and the timeline gymnastics with Wick’s presence feel a little off, the film sticks the landing. Rooney deserves her own sequel—preferably with even fewer flamethrowers next time.

7/10