Ballerina

Ana De Armas was born to be an ass-kicking lethal weapon in the world of John Wick. She throws BALLERINA on her back (along with a flame thrower) and plows through the bad guys & gals with bloody fervor.

But let's be clear, this entry may take place, sometimes cleverly, in the World of John Wick, but its NO John Wick.

To be fair, I think JW4 was one of the best action films in the history of film, a giant, Lawrence of Arabia epic of murder & mayhem. It will rarely be equaled. Ballerina falls in somewhere slightly below "John Wick 2" for me as the fifth best in the series.

The good news is, if we weren't comparing it to the rest of the series, this would be one hell of a stand alone action flick.

We meet a pre-teen Eve, a young Ballerina who tries to escape with her Father from a massive invasion force bent on killing him. It's a great opening sequence. She's then whisked away by Winston (the always great Ian McShane) and grows up as a lethal, highly trained assassin.

After the opening sequence, the first half hour settles into exposition that's never boring, but teeters on slow. But as soon as Eve, now played by the stunning De Armas, takes on her first official assignment, the film kicks into gear and rarely lets up. It's pretty damn fun in all the ways you'd expect.

Angelica Huston (Prizzi's Honor) is deliciously evil as The Director of the Ruska Roma, overseeing that hilariously retro switchboard of operators dealing out death like a global game of blackjack.

Gabriel Byrne (Hereditary) is well cast as The Chancellor, the KIng of a very loyal and lethal town of killers who live to protect their order. He's a charming, deadly leader who holds his safety very close.

Norman Reedus (The Bikeriders, The Walking Dead) is a key piece of the puzzle as a man trying to escape his life with his young daughter.

I loved seeing the late Lance Reddick in his final role as Charon, the desk clerk at The Continental, where you definitely do NOT want to break the house rules. It makes for a bloody checkout.

The story is a bit predictable but not without its fun surprises and third act reveals. I LOVED the entire conclusion set in a sleepy European town that looks like Switzerland, if its population was comprised solely of killers. Once Eve drives her car into that snowy town, the film really hits its stride and sustains the fun, fevered pitch we've come to expect.

There is a long battle with flame throwers as the weapon of choice that made me laugh out loud more than once with its creativity and staging. It's an absolute blast.

De Armas is perfectly cast and she is a superb action hero. After she provided the only enjoyment in the woke, stupid mess that killed OO7 in "No Time To Die", this is exactly the kind of action thriller that I hoped to see her in. She's excellent.

Watch what pops up on the TV behind the action as a remote control is brandished as a lethal weapon and you'll know that the filmmakers have a sense of humor. It kept me laughing throughout with the sheer inventiveness of the kills.

If you've seen the trailers, you know that Keanu is going to show up as John Wick in this film that takes place in the same time frame as JW2. If you think it's just going to be a one scene cameo, you're in for a pleasant surprise.

The film shows signs of post production tinkering, which isn't a surprise when the director chair is somehow occupied by Len Wiseman, who's somehow carved out a film career languishing in those "Underworld" films with Kate Beckinsdale and doing a throw away "Die Hard" sequel.

To give him credit, this is by far the best film on his resume, but I wonder how much of the final product was actually crafted in re-shoots by legendary Wick creator Chad Stahelski and team.

After some production and release delays, BALLERINA emerges as a worthy entry in the John Wick series, dancing a bloody, flaming and violent trail to a B.

I hope we haven't seen the last of De Armas in the role.