Keanu Reeves’ iconic hitman might still be at the top of the franchise food chain, but for at least one “John Wick” spinoff, Ana de Armas owns that super-cool underworld.
De Armas smacks, smashes and crashes through a gauntlet of gunfights and brawls in the chilly revenge mission “Ballerina” (★★★½ out of four; rated R; in theaters June 6), director Len Wiseman’s vital side adventure for the popular action-movie series. If you thought watching Tom Cruise hang off a biplane for 20 minutes was a blast, just wait until de Armas picks up a flamethrower.
Wick, the legendary “Baba Yaga” of this killer mythology, is here, too, but Reeves takes a back seat for the most part as Eve Macarro (de Armas) earns the spotlight. Orphaned as a child when her father was murdered in front of her, Eve grows up as both dancer and assassin in the Ruska Roma crime family, the organization run by the no-nonsense Director (Anjelica Huston) who also trained Wick.
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Taught to “fight like a girl” – able to adapt to any situation, cheat if necessary and kick a bunch of dudes in the groin – Eve proves herself worthy of going on assignments. But one night after taking out a club full of bad guys, she notices one’s wrist is branded with the same symbol as the henchmen who killed her dad. Eve learns it’s a cult that kills for sport, with the child-stealing Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne) at its heartless center. Going rogue against the Director’s wishes, Eve turns her quest for vengeance into a rescue when a little girl is kidnapped, and globe trots from a neon New York nightclub to a snowy Austrian village full of murderous locals.
“Ballerina” is set between the third and fourth “Wick” films, so Reeves’ character is still alive and kicking to be a frenemy of sorts for Eve. There’s a nifty chemistry between the two actors, especially when they square off in combat, and Eve’s story of breaking rules and facing consequences fleshes out her persona and also gives insight into Wick’s uncharted origins.
The “John Wick” films have upped their stunts and action-movie game each time out, and “Ballerina” doesn’t disappoint in that vein. There’s less of Reeves’ tireless gun fu and more of de Armas just picking up random objects and using them on a host of baddies.
Remote controls, dinner plates, ice skates, a firehose: All are used viciously by Eve at one point or another. She gets her signature franchise moments, including a delightfully demented flamethrowing shootout, and also those usually unseen ones as well, like Eve quietly reclaiming her knives from corpses after some violent mayhem.
De Armas is a great addition to the “Wick”-verse, as is Wiseman: From the “Underworld” movies to a “Total Recall” reboot and a “Die Hard,” the director is no stranger to action flicks and “Ballerina” is his best, by a lot. The film matches the neo-noir qualities of the other “John Wick” movies right down to the dialogue, which is as subtle as a head shot: “He’s only one man!” screams some doomed soul, apparently unaware of how unstoppable Reeves’ main man is at his bloody work. And some obvious references to the Garden of Eden with a woman named Eve searching for her truth are ham-fisted, but also a hallmark of the genre.
Ian McShane and Lance Reddick reprise their respective past roles as Wick allies Winston and Charon – Reddick’s warmth especially comes through in his final film performance. “The Walking Dead” standout Norman Reedus pops as Daniel Pine, an ex-cult member who needs Eve’s help, and seems destined to return to a franchise where the protagonists always need more pals.
For this particular heroine, de Armas taps into the same star-making potential she unleashed in an over-too-soon sequence in the James Bond movie “No Time to Die” and gets to let loose for two hours. There’s no need to yearn for a female 007 or a woman Wick anymore – just hope for another film that’s all about Eve.
How to watch ‘Ballerina’
The action thriller “Ballerina,” the latest installment of the “John Wick” movie franchise, is in theaters June 6. The film is rated R by the Motion Picture Association “for strong/bloody violence throughout, and language.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘John Wick’ ‘Ballerina’ movie unleashes a stellar Ana de Armas
