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Title: Ballerina: From the World of John WickDirector: Len WisemanCast: Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Keanu ReevesWhere: In theatres near youRating: 3.5 StarsIn the grand tradition of cinematic vengeance, Ballerina pirouettes into the John Wick universe with pointed toes and an even sharper arsenal. Ana de Armas, all sinew and simmer, takes center stage as Eve Macarro—a grieving orphan turned deadly danseuse—whose pliés are as precise as her kills. It’s a spin-off with stilettos and silencers, style over substance, and a flamethrower or two thrown in for good measure.Set between John Wick: Chapter 3 and Chapter 4, Ballerina tries to marry the elegance of ballet with the brutality of bloodsport. It largely succeeds—provided you don’t look too hard at the seams. The story, such as it is, traces Eve’s quest for answers and retribution after her father's assassination. Along the way, she defies authority, ignores ancient assassin etiquette, and gleefully demolishes everything from snowbound chalets to vaguely Eastern European training compounds.De Armas, who dazzled in ‘No Time to Die’ for all of five minutes, is finally handed the reins here—and she holds them with surprising conviction. Her Eve is no female Wick clone, despite the matching tattoos and shared Ruska Roma upbringing. She brings an edge of fragility under her fierce veneer, and while the script doesn’t quite allow her to explore it fully, it’s enough to give the endless barrage of action a heartbeat.And what action it is. Director Len Wiseman—of Underworld fame—clearly delights in choreographing carnage, and the stunt team doesn’t disappoint. There are balletic beatdowns, twirling stabbings, and fight scenes so tightly edited they occasionally resemble an interpretive dance. It’s as if the film is constantly sprinting forward, every punch and gunshot timed to a heartbeat that just won’t slow down.But for all its kinetic flair, the film stumbles on story. The plot hits familiar revenge beats, and the central conspiracy—some shadowy cult that allegedly orchestrated Eve’s childhood trauma—feels toothless. Even with Gabriel Byrne’s ominous turn as “The Chancellor,” the lore remains murky, leaving us waiting for revelations that never come. Style may dazzle, but substance struggles to keep pace.Tonally, the film lurches between high camp and grim self-seriousness. Anjelica Huston’s scene-stealing Director, dripping in brooches and Slavic fatalism, provides some deliciously dry moments, reminding us what these films can be when they stop flexing and start smirking. Likewise, Keanu Reeves drifts in for contractual bloodletting and monosyllables—“Choice,” “Rules,” “Consequences”—wearing enough black to blend into a coal mine. His presence is comforting but ultimately ornamental.In the end, the film is an elegant blunt instrument—better than it has any right to be, thanks to de Armas’ physical commitment and a production design that makes bullet casings look like couture. But it buckles under its own mythology, too afraid to leap into new territory. Still, for fans of stylized chaos, it’s a brutal, if not showstopping, interlude.