Ballerina (2025)

Ballerina takes about an hour to warm up, and then it never sits down again. Ana de Armas plays Eve Macarro, raised by the Ruska Roma, the John Wick world’s assassin school that poses as a dance company, and trained for twelve years in ballet and combat. When she spots the mark of the cult that took her family, the Director (Anjelica Huston) orders her to drop it, citing a truce. Eve does not drop it. The first half is a lot of hallways and explanations. Once Eve reaches a pretty Austrian village where every single resident is in on it, the action turns creative, funny and nonstop, and de Armas stays steely through all of it. Keanu Reeves is on the poster, and yes, he shows up. It’s also Lance Reddick’s final screen role, which lands with a pang. It made $140.2 million worldwide. A 6.9 because the back half is a blast and the front half is homework. $174 says you try one pirouette in the hallway afterward and bump straight into the door frame.

What works: Once Eve reaches the cult’s village, the fights get creative and funny, and de Armas carries them with steely focus.

What doesn’t: The first half crawls through setup and explanation, and the story adds little new to the John Wick mythology.

Who it’s for: John Wick fans who want the same world from a new angle, and anyone who suspects ballet is the most dangerous sport.