_Ballerina_ is a culmination of everything that works in the John Wick universe, but also dialed up to new heights. The movie is quite a simple vengeance story at the center which is sadly left unfulfilled but it is how well every other element of the movie is taken that makes this story actually work at the end of the day. The action is the same John Wick action we know and love but with so much more creativity infused this time around, from people popping like a balloon by way of grenade to people being lit on fire like crazy. This different approach to the action of the main John Wick films, which is often cold and very mechanical, makes Ballerina stand out on its own. Of course, _Ballerina_ also stands out because of the committed efforts of Ana de Armas as Eve who the audience actually gets to care for in the movie. That's why John Wick's inclusion here seems like a massive 4th wall break because the audience is locked into Eve and her vengeful mission. Other flaws of this movie lie in character development, balance, motivation, and redemption but also in short plot points and vague plot points. Lastly, the world building in _Ballerina_ is a healthy amount, especially for a spin-off film, making the movie that much more interesting. _Ballerina_ is another stellar addition to the John Wick universe that I hope has legs to continue in the future.

* 1. The Ballerina in the world of John Wick is a captivating character who seamlessly blends the grace of ballet with the lethality of combat, embodying the franchise's unique fusion of art and violence. Introduced in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, she enriches the series' intricate world-building by highlighting the diverse skills and backgrounds within the assassin network. Unity Phelan's portrayal is both elegant and fierce, making the Ballerina a memorable and striking addition to the John Wick universe.

This woman sure gets hit in the head a lot. TBI is real. Grenade fight! Eve's got bad grenade reaction when tables are turned. Maybe that TBI is kicking in a bit, young lady. Better start your finger games. Sure is long. So much running. Fake running. Can't fake running. Sword spinning is stupid. Dude walked right into flamethrower range, over dead bodies, paused, smiled and then flamed. Get on the finger games. This feels much longer than new avengers. Seems like flamethrower victims'd either be fine enough to kill or screaming and writhing on the floor. Dual flamethrower spin was cool. Overall, too much flamethrower. He ruined Ted. He ruined Cyberpunk. Perhaps people will see Keanu's performance as ahead of its time. Swearengen. More like Bidengen. Charon needs to be elaborately sworn in as the new guy.

I liked how there were a variety of specific weapon fights in this. Hammer fight, grenade fight, flame thrower fight. One big thing that bothers me, and has always bugged me about the John Wick movies is that there is this generic sounding rock/metal playing in the background for almost the entire duration of the movie. It really drags the whole thing down. It's funny how Norman Reedus just plays his character Daryl from the walking dead in everything he does now. This movie is ham faceable.