Ballerina” (2025) Review – A Beautiful Disappointment Turned Brutal Redemption
Ballerina (2025) is a film I was incredibly excited about. As a fan of the John Wick universe and especially Ana de Armas, my hopes were high. Having admired her in past performances across genres from thrillers to action to drama, I was all in on the idea of her leading a stylish assassin spin-off set in the shadow of Wick’s chaos. But after watching it… I’ll be honest, my initial reaction was heavy disappointment.
Let me start with what did work. The action scenes were explosive, tightly choreographed, and definitely held the DNA of the franchise. The ballet-meets-bloodshed visual aesthetic remained strong throughout, and Ana de Armas delivers an intensely physical and emotionally charged performance, especially in the final act. She’s believable, fierce, and commands the screen with undeniable presence.
That said, for a large chunk of the film’s runtime, I felt disconnected. The pacing dragged in the middle. The emotional core felt undercooked. And despite the world-building potential, it seemed more interested in showing flashes of coolness rather than grounding us in Rooney’s personal pain and purpose. I originally gave it a 2 out of 5 stars. I walked away from the theater bummed“a beautiful disappointment” was the phrase I used.
But here’s the twist: after sitting with it, I kept thinking about the final 45–50 minutes. I even rewatched key scenes in my mind now that the third act is over. It ripped. The emotional payoff, the brutal choreography, and Ana’s raw vulnerability all finally clicked. I bumped my score up to 4 out of 5 stars because that ending reframed much of the film. A final act rarely changes my entire perspective on a movie, but Ballerina did that.
There’s a real pulse beneath the surface of this film. I now believe a sequel could work, though I have no clue where it would go story-wise. Still, I’m optimistic. Ana de Armas deserves a franchise of her own, and with the right direction and writing in a second entry, this world could grow into something truly special.
In the end, Ballerina isn’t perfect. It’s flawed, messy, and ambitious. But it sticks the landing in a way that demands respect. And I’ll be watching again… this time with a different lens.
Final Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Letterboxd Review: https://boxd.it/a2MBlp
