The first reviews for the Ana de Armas-led From the World of John Wick: Ballerina are in, revealing how critics feel about the new John Wick spinoff, which will arrive in theaters on Friday, June 6. Taking place between John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4, the fifth installment follows Eve Macarro (de Armas) as she joins the Ruska Roma clan, training to become a new ᴀssᴀssin.
The initial reviews for Ballerina sees critics having mixed feelings about the new John Wick spinoff. ScreenRant‘s Rachel LaBonte wrote in her review that while the movie’s concept is ambitious, it “suffers from a bit of an idenтιтy crisis.” In comparison to the previous movie’s high standards, she admitted that it does “not really” live up to the hype. Entertainment Weekly‘s Jordan Hoffman gave the movie a C+ rating, concluding that “Ballerina is really two different films stapled together.”
What This Means For Ballerina’s Reception
Critics Point Out Inconsistency In Storytelling And Praise Its Action Scenes
It seems that the mismatched pace between the first half and the second half of the movie is a main reason behind critics’ conflicted viewing experiences. SlashFilm‘s review further explained the uneven viewing experience, stressing that “any time the film leans into action, it’s a blast” but anything around the action scenes would be a drag. The review also teases Keanu Reeves’ John Wick playing a “bigger part in the film’s finale.” Similarly, GameRadar+ praises de Armas as a “badᴀss action hero,” but points out how her performance falls flat in all other places.
In comparison to the previous John Wick movies, Ballerina seems to have failed to match the expectations set by Reeves’ main series for the majority, but some also had a blast. Collider positioned the film as “a worthy entry in the John Wick canon” with its biggest payoff in the end, while Gizmodo called it “a mostly brainless, cold, cookie-cutter revenge movie that has so much unfathomable yet enjoyable action in it that the two are completely at odds.” USA Today, on the other hand, gave the movie a rave review and rated it as Lee Wiseman’s best work to date.
Our Take On Ballerina’s First Reviews
Audience Reception May Differ
It sounds like the movie has striking flaws, which, at the same time, might also be its best features. Those who enjoy inventive kills and John Wick‘s video game action sequences likely won’t be disappointed. Based on the reviews, a lot of screen time is dedicated to the key experience that made John Wick: Chapter 4 well-received and arguably the best in the franchise. Even though Ballerina‘s initial reviews are mostly mixed, many might end up really enjoying the movie.
It’s worth noting that Ballerina‘s first reviews are critical at their core. Individual experiences are bound to differ. While the film did attract some heat for its uneven performances between the action and plot points, most of the reviews did come from an analytical standpoint. The critics who enjoyed the movie the most are those who embraced the fun action and who did not let the movie’s flaws ruin the experience.
Source: Various (see above)
