Latest news with #JohnWick:Chapter3–Parabellum
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- First Post
From Knock Knock to Knockout — Ana de Armas reunites with Keanu Reeves in Ballerina
Ana de Armas' rise to the lead role is a powerful story in itself. Born in Cuba, she began her acting career in Spain, starring in Spanish-language films before making her English-language debut alongside Keanu Reeve read more Directed by Len Wiseman, Ballerina tells the gripping story of Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), a highly skilled assassin on a relentless quest for vengeance against those who destroyed her family. Set between the explosive events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4, this latest installment expands the franchise's universe with the signature blend of pulse-pounding action, immersive world-building, and jaw-dropping stunts. Ana de Armas' rise to the lead role is a powerful story in itself. Born in Cuba, she began her acting career in Spain, starring in Spanish-language films before making her English-language debut alongside Keanu Reeves in Knock Knock (2015)—a film she shot while still learning English on set. Nearly a decade later, she reunites with Reeves, not as a newcomer, but as a formidable action star in her own right. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Reflecting on their collaboration, Keanu Reeves says, 'She's a wonderful actress, so talented. And that inner strength and motivation, being able to draw that up and to show that in the stillness of the scenes that we had together. She's quite a presence.' Len Wiseman agrees: 'She's perfect for the role in many ways. What I love about this franchise series is that it is more of an actor-based action, and so we see the actors doing more of their own performance and choreography. And she was game with that.' Ana didn't just embrace the role—she dove in headfirst.. From the very beginning, Ana insisted on undergoing intensive combat training and hands-on stunt work, determined to honor the high standards of the John Wick legacy. Her dedication is evident in every frame. Ballerina released in theatres across India on June 13th, presented by PVRINOX Pictures in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. In contrast to the invincible superheroes that dominate the screen, Eve bleeds, fights back, and transforms—making her story all the more human and resonant. With an ever-growing fan base for the John Wick universe in India, Ballerina is poised to become the next big theatrical obsession. As the countdown begins, one thing is certain—the action is just getting started.
Hindustan Times
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Ballerina puts Ana de Armas in the spotlight — But can she outgun John Wick?
You've got to hand it to the title—Ballerina: From the World of John Wick sounds like a crossover between a tiara-clad Disney fantasy and a headshot-heavy gun-fu opera. And misdirection is the whole point. This isn't pirouettes and pliés—it's flamethrowers, samurai swords, and body bags. Positioned neatly between John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4, Ballerina follows a new assassin with pointe shoes and a vendetta, played by Ana de Armas. It wants to deepen the John mythos with a feminine touch and emotional weight, but ends up oscillating between promising detours and recycled chaos. Stylish, yes. Coherent? Not always. As a child, Eve Macarro (played in her younger years by Victoria Comte) witnesses her father's brutal murder by a cult led by the icy and inscrutable Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne). She's whisked away by Winston (Ian McShane) to the Ruska Roma—a ballet school-slash-hitman factory overseen by the iron-willed Director (Anjelica Huston). There, Eve learns arabesques, handguns, and how to turn a pair of ice skates into weapons of mass destruction. Years later, when Eve recognizes a familiar symbol on one of her targets, she disobeys orders and embarks on a revenge spree that threatens a longstanding truce between her group and the Chancellor's. What follows is a trail of carnage leading to a snow-covered village full of cultists, one morally ambiguous hitman (Norman Reedus), and a final showdown involving flamethrowers, grenades, and more bruised larynxes than dialogue exchanges. Ana de Armas is clearly the film's MVP. With her understated calm and crisp physicality, she brings a compelling screen presence to Eve—even when the script forgets to give her character actual layers. The action, especially a 20-minute mid-film sequence that plays with structure and stakes, offers a glimpse of what the spin-off could have been if it weren't tethered so tightly to the Wick playbook. Visually, the film is as slick as you'd expect. Neon-drenched nightclubs, Eastern European rooftops, and dimly lit safehouses all look like they're borrowed from a stylish fever dream. The choreography, executed by a team of Wick alumni, delivers some technically sharp set pieces—even if we've seen many of them before. And while its thematic flirtation with 'feminine' violence—using intellect and agility over brute strength—is more talked about than shown, there's at least an attempt to carve out a new identity. Plus, the final track titled Fight Like a Girl by Evanescence and is the kind of bombastic closer you expect from a film that confuses ballet slippers with brass knuckles. Despite its best efforts to stand on its own toes, Ballerina keeps falling back into the John Wick formula like a dancer repeatedly slipping off pointe. The revenge arc, meant to fuel Eve's transformation, is sketched so thinly it barely registers. Emotional beats are hinted at and then dropped faster than a spent magazine. While the film suggests Eve should "fight differently," the choreography tells a different story. The punches, the shootouts, the nightclub brawls—they're nearly identical to scenes in John Wick's saga, just with a slightly different manicure. Even the camera movements feel like déjà vu, only with less polish in the editing bay. Norman Reedus's cameo feels like a setup for a different, more interesting movie. And Keanu Reeves, while present, mostly drops in to grunt, reload, and remind us of how well he wears a bulletproof suit. Ballerina isn't a bad film. It's just a familiar one wearing a different costume. There are sparks of originality, and Ana de Armas proves she can lead an action franchise—but the movie remains conflicted about whether it wants to honour the John Wick legacy or evolve from it. At its best, it's a brisk, bloody spin-off with style to spare. At its worst, it's a cover version of a John Wick hit single, played just slightly off-beat. Ballet may be about grace, precision, and control—Ballerina has two of those things. Just not always in the right order.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Ballerina on OTT: Ana de Armas, Keanu Reeves' John Wick spinoff may premiere on a streaming platform in late August
Ballerina on OTT: Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas, is out in theatres in India. The film hit the screens on June 13 much to the delight of her fans. The film is set in the same universe as Keanu Reeves' John Wick and promises to be a treat for those fond of action thrillers. The film is currently playing exclusively in theatres, which means it is not available on any OTT platform. It will, however, eventually be available for streaming on either Netflix or Prime Video. Ballerina may premiere on OTT later this year Ballerina, a sidequel to John Wick 3 and the latest release from Lionsgate, will land on an OTT platform after its theatrical run. Den of Thieves 2, another Lionsgate film, started streaming on Netflix two and a half months after arriving in theatres. Given this, one can expect Ballerina to be available in late August. However, there is no guarantee that it will be available on Netflix. According to Variety, Prime Video got the streaming rights to a 'package' of 2025 films. Ballerina might premiere on the platform sometime this year if it is part of the deal. What's Ballerina about? Ballerina is an action thriller helmed by Len Wiseman. It traces the rise and life of an assassin and is a sidequel to John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. It features Ana de Armas in the lead with Gabriel Byrne, Norman Reedus, Keanu Reeves, and the late Lance Reddick in key roles.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
‘From the World of John Wick: Ballerina' movie review: Ana de Armas slays & kills like a boss in Len Wiseman's bloody-entertaining spin-off
Despite following the route of John Wick, Ballerina stands apart as a spin-off with its ever-expansion of a thrilling world read more Cast: Ana de Armas, Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus, Anjelica Huston, Lance Reddick (in his final screen appearance), Ian McShane, and Keanu Reeves Director: Len Wiseman A sidequel to Keanu Reeves' John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Ana de Armas starrer From the World of John Wick: Ballerina is set before the events of John Wick: Chapter 4. 'Fight like a girl,' says Eve Macarro's (Ana de Armas) trainer Nogi (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) to her. This iconic advice turns out to be one of the highlights, as she suggests that Eve might not necessarily match the physical strength of men, so she should adapt her combat style while retaining her feminine essence. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ballerina begins with the young Eve (played by Victoria Comte) watching her father getting killed by Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne), the leader of the dark warrior cult and his fighters. Winston Scott (Ian McShane), who makes a comeback as John Wick's mentor, turns saviour for Eve and gives her responsibility to the Director (Anjelica Huston), the mastermind behind Ruska Roma with an iron hand, which stages fight training like ballet. While Ruska Roma and the Chancellor's cult have been following a centuries-long pact to steer clear of each other, Eve upsets the apple cart of that accord as she now decides to take revenge for her father's murder after she kills a henchman with a tell-tale X branded into his wrist. While the wafer-thin plot looks nothing new, rather reminds you of a typical Bollywood movie, once again it is the action aspect, which sets Ballerina apart from others. Len Wiseman takes you on an action-packed ride where Ana fires pistols and machine guns, breaks limbs, gouges eyeballs, smashes throats and slashes her enemies with a samurai sword. During her stint in No Time to Die, we saw her finesse in doing action sequences but in Ballerina, the actress goes all out. The scenes where she uses ice skates and nunchucks to fight along with killing people by detonating multiple grenades are beautifully choreographed with her duel flame-throwers battle sequence turning out to be one of the highlights. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Talking about the performance, Ana de Armas has carried the project on her abled shoulders like a boss. Right from performing high-octane stunts and action pieces to portraying emotional pain through her eyes and expressions, the actress has delivered a superb act. It was a treat to watch our very own John Wick aka Keanu Reeves who is enjoying performing some of his trademark action sequences and making fans cheer with his onscreen charisma. Despite following the route of John Wick, Ballerina stands apart as a spin-off with its ever-expansion of a thrilling world. Rating: 3.5 (out of 5 stars) 'From the World of John Wick: Ballerina' is playing in cinemas
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
REVIEW: ‘Ballerina,' is a violent dance for revenge
Opinions are the author's alone and not endorsed by 2 NEWS and/or Nexstar Media Group. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Given that its a spinoff in the world of the ever-popular John Wick franchise, 'Ballerina' lives up to expectations. That's the review. Rating: R – for reasons obvious to most, but just in case, strong violence and language. Runtime: 2 hours, 4 minutes. Still here? Well, thanks, I'll expound a little bit. If you're a fan of John Wick, then you'll be pleased with this effort here by the spinoff. Ana de Armas is a convincing assassin 'From the World of John Wick,' and the action set pieces structured around her character's revenge tour are well executed. The story and character development are each as thin as a veil, but that's the standard for these movies. John Wick got back into the business after his dog was killed; Eve Macarro (Armas) becomes an assassin to avenge her father. Once the revenge plot is set in motion in these movies, they really move from point A to Z at the speed of a thumping heartbeat. For reference, 'Ballerina' takes place between John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4. Wick does appear in the film (which is revealed in the trailer), and he is as cool as usual. Keanu Reeves can probably play this character in his sleep at this point. To say more on the action pieces, they are elaborate and ever-present. While stuntman/filmmaker Chad Stahelski did not direct 'Ballerina,' the action here gives fans what they're looking for. Personally though, the John Wick movies aren't my thing because of how much violence they contain, combined with bare story elements that make the characters doing the violence harder to care about. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
