Review: 'Ballerina' cuts through the 'John Wick' mythology to give Ana de Armas an action-movie character of her own

The main problem with the “John Wick” franchise is its mythology — a problem that started when the filmmakers decided it needed to have one. Why can’t we just have an anti-hero who shoots, stabs, slices and punches his way through hundreds of hired killers and leave it at that?

That problem, the mythology, threatens to choke the life out of the first “John Wick” spinoff movie, “Ballerina” — but, thankfully, the mayhem is entertaining enough, in a movie that gets a fair share of mileage out of the charms of star Ana de Armas.

The mythology here starts with the backstory of the prologue. De Armas’ character, Eve, is introduced to us as a young girl (played by Victoria Comte), living in a beachside mansion with her father, Javier (David Castañeda). Then armed commandos swarm the place, at the behest of a crime lord, The Chancellor (David Byrne), who wants to punish Javier for trying to escape his cult-like community. Javier fends off the bad guys but dies in the process, leaving Eve an orphan.

Someone takes an interest in young Eve: Mr. Winston (Ian McShane), who fans of the franchise know as Wick’s protector and the manager of the New York branch of The Continental, the shadowy chain of luxury hotels that is safe haven for criminals around the world. Winston offers young Eve his services, whenever she should ask.

Eve lands in a training school for future assassins. She practices her ballet until her feet bleed, and also learns martial arts, weapons and other deadly skills. The school’s leader, known as The Director (Anjelica Huston), gives Eve her first contract — which is how she runs into some of the killers associated with The Chancellor’s cult.

(For those paying attention to the details of the franchise, Huston’s presence sets this story within the timeline of the third “John Wick” movie, “Parabellum.” This means that Keanu Reeves’ Wick is still alive — he wasn’t looking to good by the end of the fourth movie — and available for an appearance here somewhere.)

Eve wants to chase after The Chancellor’s goons, but The Director won’t allow it. If someone from her tribe tried to kill The Chancellor’s assassins, the fragile peace between both sides would be shattered. But Eve is determined, so she asks Winston for information — which sets up the last half of the movie.

Director Len Wiseman manages not to gum up the action too much — which means he’s improving from when he directed “Underworld” and the “Total Recall” remake. The real credit should go to the stunt team, a factor that has put the “Wick” movies ahead of the pack, and to de Armas, who throws herself into the fight scenes with an admirable recklessness. 

De Armas’ efforts hit their peak in the movie’s extended climax, set in a mountainside village where seemingly every citizen — down to the local barista — has lethal talents and is happy to display them. If moviegoers have to endure some mythology to get to a scene with dueling flamethrowers, that’s a price I’m willing to pay.

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‘Ballerina’

★★★

Opens Friday, June 6, in theaters everywhere. Rated R for strong/bloody violence throughout, and language. Running time: 125 minutes.