A Geeky Guy's Guide to Ballerina (Please go see this movie!)
Let's start this by making a deal, as always, I promise not to reveal any spoilers during this post. In return, all I ask is that you go see this movie like 6 or 7 times!!!!
I'm not kidding. I really need everyone to go and see this movie repeatedly. Rest assured, I will be doing the same. I fear that if we don't, the movie company Lionsgate will not make a sequel. And they MUST make a sequel. I need. No WE ALL need to see a sequel!!!!
If you haven't figured it out by now, I freaking loved this movie. Is it as good as the first three John Wick movies? Well that would be nearly impossible. Was it as good as the fourth? Perhaps.
As a 53 year old American male, I feel uniquely qualified to speak about action movie series (and no I don't think being a 53 American male makes me an expert on everything... but some guys I know surely do). I mean I have been around action movies from the very beginning. Even the ones that came out in the 60s were on TV enough that I saw them all. But I was a teenager in the heyday of 80s action movies. I was in my 20s when they modernized them bit in the 90s and I have been hooked ever since. I've seen just about everything. Steve McQueen and Clint Eastwood... saw them on TV. Bruce Lee movies... rented them and watched them on Beta. Terminator and Die Hard... saw them in the dollar theater. 1990 John Woo movies and the American ripoffs... saw them in the theater. Fast and the Furious... saw the first few in the theater and got bored. But John Wick. Oh my God! These movies are simply the G.O.A.T. of action movies. We all know I love The Raid: Redemption, the movie that inspired John Wick and every other movie since 2012 with awesome action sequences, but John Wick has taken it to another level. And the Ballerina has accepted the challenge to create stunning action sequences by saying "Hey John Wick, you kind of tried to act within the realm of disbelief. You kind of tried to obey the laws of physics. You kind of tried to show that people get injured during a fight. Fuck all that shit! I'm the Ballerina! Reality is for wimps!"
Dang it! I promised no spoilers. Now everyone knows that Ana de Armas is gorgeous. Sorry.
Not only do I love the action in John Wick, I am enthralled with the universe in which it lives. In John Wick's universe, anyone on a subway could be an assassin. That homeless guy the block... an assassin. The little old lady working at the shoe store... an assassin! The sushi chef... assassin! That gorgeous ballet dancer... you guessed it... assassin! Not only that, but the rest of the infrastructure of these world is just so freaking cool. The hotel where you pay for everything with mysterious gold coins, the sommelier for assault weapons of every type, and the telephone operators dressed in super sexy outfits connecting the switchboards and entering information into 8 bit computers... oh my god that are all so awesome! I would watch a movie or show about any of the jobs that help support the network of assassins. So it is no surprise that I loved Ballerina.
Ok enough John Wick fanboying. Let me say some spoiler -free things about Ballerina. First of all, in full disclosure, I think Ana de Armas is perhaps the most beautiful actress I have ever seen. She's simply stunning. If there were ever a woman who deserved to live in Banshee Pennsylvania, it is her. But if she couldn't act, I wouldn't like her. Want proof? I can't stand movies with Gal Gadot. Anyway back to Ana de Armas. Not only can she act, but she is able to pull off physical action scenes. Ever since she stole the movie as Paloma in the James Bond movie No Time to Die, I have been waiting for Hollywood that they were sitting on a goldmine. I couldn't wait for them to cast her in an action movie. Well it was worth the wait! Although she is no Keanu (after all, who else is?) she does a great job in the action sequences. And there are plenty of them.
I honestly do not think there was a wasted scene in the entire movie. They are either exploring something weird in the awesome Wick World or they are showing a ridiculously over-the-top action sequence. As a connoisseur of action movies, I thought I had seen it all. My god was I wrong! There were SOOOOOOO many more weapons one could use to kill a bad guy. There are so many more martial arts fights that I needed to see. There are so many ways to use snow and ice.
If you like the John Wick movies, you MUST see Ballerina. I promise you will not be disappointed!
What is you favorite action movie series? (And feel free to say Fast and the Furious, I'm just unique in that I hate car chases.)
I gave up after the second fast and furious movie. Paul Walker was just a horrible actor, no offense to the dead. I've only seen the first three John Wick movies. I haven't seen the fourth yet. I love them though. I agree the whole mythos of the world is intriguing. I will have to keep an eye out for this one. I've dug Anna ever since she was in that other Keeanu movie....
LOL. So you saw that one too. Not many people have. She's amazing! The 4th one was definitely worth seeing.
I'll have to find a way to check it out then. Yeah, she is definitely a looker!
Actually, you are the perfect person to perform an experiment. Ballerina is mainly set in between the events of John Wick 3 and 4. So if you see this one then John Wick 4, you will be one of the few people to watch them in chronological order.
Ah, okay that makes a lot of sense. I will try to be sure to do that. I'm still trying to work my way through Daredevil right now so I can then start Andor season 2.
I wasn’t that excited about Ballerina at first, but after the way you described it, I feel like I need to watch it at least twice 😄
If you like John Wick, you'll like it for sure.
Okay fine we will go see it😂😂
I can totally relate to how you feel, I watch a mindblowing movie and I want everyone to go see it, they can’t be missing out on the good stuff😂😂
As you are saying, it is quite interesting and I have repeatedly said to watch it, so I will also try to watch this film at some point and tell you how I liked it.
yes. Please report back!
This one is definitely on my list.
Great review, @hanshotfirst.
You won't be disappointed!
Ana de Armas as an action star?? Absolutely yes. 10/10 would let her high kick me into the snow.
I really hope this is the first of many action roles for her.
I have seen all three of the John Wick movies and I will definitely go see this one too. I really like watching these kinds of action movies.
it seems a good movie
didn't read to avoid spoilers as in an hour i will be in the cinema to watch it :P
Report back if you like it! I bet you will.
It was quite good! I like the whole cult thing as well and didn't expect John as well. I thought we would only seem in the theater. The only thing that i was okish was the damage she took which seemed to be close to 0 :P Even John could hardly move in the last movie. Aside of that, it was quite good! I most likely gonna write a review as well tomorrow
sounds ab right :3 thanks for the share!