Given that the title of this John Wick Universe film is Ballerina, one would reasonably expect several scenes of Ana de Armas in a tutu, or at the very least, have her performing ballet on a stage.

As film critics have pulled ‘balletic’ out of their hat in describing fight scene choreography, we were hoping there would be more to the ballet in the title than a mechanical figure encased in a glass dome that serves as a toy to the young Eve Maccaro (de Armas). 

That it’s an action thriller is clear from the outset, and I was enthusiastic about this as finally, an opportunity for De Armas to star in her action movie, after the promise she displayed as Paloma in the Daniel Craig/James Bond film, No Time to Die.

Then the trailer to this film let the cat out of the bag by showing scenes where Wick (Keanu Reeves) himself was present. Obviously, for some, this would be the irresistible additional come-on to watch this film, and it truly stamped the film as belonging to the John Wick action franchise. Len Wiseman directs this spin-off, with Wick veteran Shay Hatten providing the screenplay.

To make us feel at home, the Ruska Roma Director (Angelica Huston), Winston Scott (Ian McShane), and Charon (Lance Reddick - his final screen appearance) are all in the cast; and it’s the Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne) who emerges as the main villain.

And on board as Daniel Pine is Norman Reedus, popular for his leading role in the TV series The Walking Dead. Timeline-wise, this Ballerina occurs between John Wick 3 & 4. And it all has to do with a mission of vengeance. The Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne) killed Eve’s father.

Still, a child, she escaped that deadly night, was approached by Winston, and entrusted to the Director to become a trained assassin, especially adept with all kinds of weapons and firearms, as well as in hand-to-hand combat.

I mention expertise in firearms on purpose, with emphasis on the fire, given that a flamethrower will be an essential part of Eve’s arsenal in the last quarter of the film. 

The first half of the film is more exposition, and while de Armas throws herself into the role, a part of me was getting impatient, as there are only two real reasons for watching a John Wick movie.

The action scenes are one, and the second reason is that there are more action scenes. Everything else is mere filler. Mark it down then, it’s when Eve goes to visit an arms merchant, and when she descends on the village of the Chancellor, does this film find its footing, and make all that preceded worth the wait.

There’s humor, there’s brio and energy, and there’s the Reeves cameo clicking into place. There’s already talk of an Eve sequel, and on the strength of the last thirty minutes of this film, I’d say there’s promise in this spin-off. Ballerina is showing in cinemas now, and it justifies the ‘From the World of John Wick’ tagline.