Film Review - Ballerina (2025)

Kelaru & Fulton rating: ★★★★

Runtime: 2 hrs 04 mins

Ballerina is better than Mission Impossible.

There. You have it in black and white.

These two films were released almost at the same time, with Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning hitting cinemas two weeks earlier than Ballerina (at least in the UK) and both were still showing when the latter launched.

But I stand by my opinion. Ballerina is simply a more enjoyable film because it knows exactly what it is and what its audience expects. We’re watching a John Wick movie, so we want incredible action sequences, expertly choreographed fight scenes and cool characters. We don’t need long-winded explanations or deep character motivations, but just enough to get us going.

Ballerina serves as an origin story within the John Wick universe. What does that mean? Like the first John Wick, the film gives us just enough of the character’s background to ground the story. It spends time on this only as much as necessary, and we can be sure future Ballerina entries won’t need to repeat it. Compare that to Final Reckoning, which drags out 45 minutes of exposition about why only Ethan Hunt can save the world, something we’ve known for seven previous films.

Once the action starts, both films deliver. Mission Impossible offers spectacular set pieces, as expected. Tom Cruise continues to impress, whether he’s jumping off cliffs, clinging to trains or sprinting through major cities. His commitment to making you believe in the urgency of the mission is admirable.

But Ballerina focuses on up-close, brutal fights and stylised shootouts. Ana de Armas gives a strong performance and the first 20 minutes of Eve’s origin story are enough to make us root for her. She’s clearly new to this violent world of assassins, cults and contract killers, and that shows. She takes a beating several times throughout the film. Her journey feels less like a mission accomplished and more like a desperate fight for survival, fuelled by raw revenge.

Despite some plot gaps, Eve’s character arc unfolds convincingly. By the final scenes, her movements are sharper, her decisions more confident and her presence more commanding. It’s satisfying to watch her grow through the violence.

Ballerina is a worthy addition to the John Wick universe and I hope it performs well enough to earn a sequel. I’m certain Eve will show up in future John Wick stories, whether in a revival of John himself or in the upcoming spin-off based on Caine’s character, introduced in Chapter 4.

Either way, Ballerina is an excellent watch. You’ll get exactly what you signed up for: crunchy action sequences, wild fight choreography, top-tier stunt work and effortlessly cool characters that deliver on every promise.