Paid Post: Film Review--"Ballerina"
The newest entry in the "John Wick" franchise may not achieve the greatness of the first four films, but it's still a kinetic and propulsive good time.
Hello, dear reader! Do you like what you read here at Omnivorous? Do you like reading fun but insightful takes on all things pop culture? Do you like supporting indie writers? If so, then please consider becoming a subscriber and get the newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. There are a number of paid options, but you can also sign up for free! Every little bit helps. Thanks for reading and now, on with the show!
Warning: Full spoilers for the film follow.
John Wick may well be one of the most surprising franchises in Hollywood. Who would have guessed, when the first film came out in 2014–over 10 years ago!--that it would give rise to not only three more films in the main franchise but also a TV show? It’s easy to see why the franchise is so appealing, though. Each of the films manages to hit just the right note between male melodrama and action movie, and Keanu Reeves is the perfect person to play a reluctant and tortured assassin.
Now, with Ballerina, the franchise has begun to take some different directions. In addition to deepening the already-established mythology and universe of the show, this entry also gives us a formidable new hero in the form of Eve Macarro. Though it does run a bit long–something that has always been true of this franchise–it has the same kind of kinetic appeal as the films starring Reeves. It’s the kind of film that sweeps you up in its own absurd violence, giving you everything you could want from a delicious piece of pulpy revenge storytelling.