Review: Ballerina (From the World of John Wick)
Director: Len Wiseman | Genre: Action-Thriller

5/5 rating 

I felt my blood pumping with excitement as I attended the early screening of From the World of John Wick: Ballerina. 

Having only experienced the franchise through word of mouth, clips, and memes, I had little to no expectations for what I was about to jump into—and I was not prepared for how intense and compelling it would be.

The movie had an ominous start, and tension filled the air immediately. As a first-time viewer of this franchise, I worried I might feel lost, especially since this story takes place somewhere between Chapter 3 and Chapter 4. 

However, my concerns were quickly put to rest. 

This side story almost feels like a standalone film, and the plot was not hard to follow—revenge seems to be the most common motivator in these movies, after all.
 

Since the John Wick films primarily center around the legendary assassin himself, I was initially skeptical about the new protagonist, Eve Macarro (played by Ana de Armas,  Blonde, No Time To Die). She obviously was not John Wick, so I could not help but wonder how she would measure up. Fortunately, those doubts vanished as soon as her tragic backstory unfolded. We see her transform into a killing machine through sheer persistence, and she is no Mary Sue—she fails repeatedly but remains determined to achieve her goals by any means necessary.

I was already aware of how incredible the fight scenes in these films are after seeing clips online, so I was eager to see how they would be handled here. I was not disappointed. The action sequences were so intense that they left me craving more. The choreography was flawless, striking a perfect balance between realism and cinematic spectacle. 

The film incorporates real-world firearms techniques and close-quarters combat so effectively that it sometimes feels like watching a video game. And yes—there is blood. A lot of it. 

Despite the movie’s clearly massive budget, it is still amazing how stunning every shot looked. 

The film uses darkness perfectly to set the mood, and the sound design takes everything to the next level. The gunshots and explosions are deafening—so much so that I jumped multiple times as everything went bang bang bang and bam!

Ballerina was an incredible experience that left me eager to watch the rest of the John Wick movies while waiting for future installments.

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina is now out in Philippine cinemas.