Ballerina (2025) Movie: Why Ballerina Successfully Expands the John Wick Universe Beyond Keanu Reeves
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina comes as the newest movie in the popular action series, bringing a fresh take to the underground world of professional killers. This spin-off film, released on June 6, 2025, shows us Eve Macarro, played by the talented Ana de Armas, a ballet dancer turned deadly killer seeking revenge for her father’s murder.
Plot and Storyline
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina follows Eve Macarro, whose life changes forever when her father Javier gets brutally murdered by a dangerous cult. Eve is the daughter of two killers – her father was part of the Ruska Roma organization, and her mother belonged to a violent cult.
After watching her father die at the hands of the Chancellor and his followers, Eve gets taken in by Winston Scott and brought to the secretive Ruska Roma organization. Under the guidance of the Director, played by Anjelica Huston, Eve trains for twelve years, learning both ballet and deadly fighting skills.
Cast Performance
Ana de Armas delivers a strong performance as Eve Macarro, successfully proving herself as a worthy addition to the John Wick world. Her portrayal mixes vulnerability with fierce determination, creating a character that feels both human and dangerous. De Armas went through extensive physical training for the role, and her commitment shows throughout the film.
The supporting cast provides solid performances across the board. Anjelica Huston brings authority to her role as the Director, while Gabriel Byrne creates a scary presence as the Chancellor. Norman Reedus adds depth to his role as Daniel Pine, a killer trying to escape the Cult.
Keanu Reeves’ return as John Wick, while brief, proves meaningful to the story rather than just pleasing fans. I found the scenes with John Wick were amazing, but every scene without him was equally good.
Direction and Action
Len Wiseman’s direction successfully captures the feel of the John Wick movies while bringing his own visual style. The film keeps the series’ signature look, featuring sleek camera work, bright colors, and carefully planned action scenes.
The action choreography stands as one of the film’s strongest points, with fight scenes that match those of the main series. The ballet-influenced combat style creates a unique visual approach that makes Eve’s fighting different from John Wick’s precise methods. I was impressed by the creative weapon choices and clever kill sequences that keep audiences engaged throughout its 125-minute runtime.
However, the film struggles with pacing in its first half before finding its rhythm in the more explosive second half.
Critical Reception and Ratings
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina has received mostly positive reviews from critics and audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, 76% of critics gave positive reviews out of 241 total reviews. Metacritic gave the film a score of 59 out of 100 based on 49 critics, showing mixed or average reviews.
Critics have praised the film’s action scenes and de Armas’ performance while noting some story problems. Professional reviewers highlighted that while the movie takes time to find its footing, the second half delivers amazing action.
Audience reception has been much more positive than critic response. With over 1000+ ratings, Ballerina now holds the record for the highest-rated audience score for any John Wick movie with a 94% audience score. Audiences gave the film an average grade of A, , with 87% giving positive scores and 79% saying they would recommend it.
What We Liked
Outstanding Action Scenes: The film’s greatest strength lies in its spectacular action sequences. The mix of ballet movements with brutal combat creates a unique visual style that feels both graceful and deadly.
Ana de Armas’ Performance: De Armas proves herself as a capable action star, bringing both physical skills and emotional depth to her role. Her performance successfully makes Eve a distinct character rather than a female version of John Wick.
World-Building: The film successfully expands the John Wick universe by exploring the Ruska Roma organization and introducing new enemies. I appreciated how it adds new elements while respecting what came before.
Visual Quality: The film maintains the series’ high production values, featuring stunning camera work, elaborate set pieces, and impressive practical effects.
Areas for Improvement
Story Problems: While the action excels, the plot lacks the tight storytelling of the main John Wick films. The story sometimes feels aimless and could have been deeper.
Character Development: Despite de Armas’ strong performance, Eve’s character development could have been stronger. Some action sequences feel disconnected without enough emotional involvement.
Pacing Issues: The film struggles with pacing in its first half, taking too long to establish its rhythm before delivering its best sequences.
Predictable Elements: Marketing materials revealed too many plot points, reducing surprises for viewers who had seen the trailers.
Box Office Performance
As of June 13, 2025, Ballerina has made $57.1 million worldwide – $31.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $26 million in other countries. The film opened in second place at the box office, earning $3.75 million from Thursday previews and $24.5 million in its opening weekend.
While the opening was solid, it fell short of more recent John Wick movies. However, the strong audience approval ratings suggest positive word-of-mouth potential.
Music and Soundtrack
The film features a strong soundtrack that supports its action sequences and emotional moments. Hand That Feeds by Halsey and Evanescence’s Amy Lee was released as the lead single. Evanescence also released Fight Like a Girl with K.Flay as the film’s theme song.
Final Verdict
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina succeeds as an entertaining action movie that expands the beloved series while establishing Ana de Armas as a compelling new hero. While it may not reach the heights of the main movies, it’s a worthy addition to the universe.
Despite some story problems and pacing issues, the film’s strengths outweigh its weaknesses. The spectacular action choreography, strong performances, and successful expansion of the John Wick world make it essential viewing for series fans and action movie lovers.
For newcomers to the series, Ballerina works as an accessible entry point, though watching previous John Wick films will enhance appreciation for the world-building and character connections. I believe this film proves that the John Wick universe has room to grow beyond Keanu Reeves while maintaining what makes it special.
Bottom Line: While not reaching the heights of John Wick: Chapter 4, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina delivers enough thrills, style, and substance to earn its place in the series. It’s a film that focuses on entertainment value and succeeds well in that goal.
