“John Wick: Chapter 4” was quite a finale for Keanu Reeves’ iconic character. Looking back on it now, it’s kind of crazy that the 2014 original only debuted to $14 million and totaled just $43 million domestically. But each subsequent installment in the franchise earned significantly more money in its opens and totals. Lionsgate loves the cash and wants much more. “Chapter 5” is apparently coming (even though “4” felt like a satisfying conclusion). An animated film with Reeves voicing Wick should be fun.
But out of the gate when it comes to new facets of this saga is “Ballerina”, with Academy Award nominee Ana de Armas in the title role of a performer and an assassin. As was the case with Wick, she’s out for revenge. The presentation of her origin story gets the movie off to a slow start. A few follow-up sequences in the first half-hour (including a nightclub action scene that felt like “J.W.: Chapter 2” again) made me question whether this is more of a copycat than a spinoff.
Thankfully “Ballerina” soon finds its way, with well-crafted, wall-to-wall fight scenes for the next hour and a half. There’s definitely some memorable, over the top action and a few story surprises with some soul (obvious but still effective parallels).
Armas does well, excelling just as she did in the supporting role of Paloma in Daniel Craig’s last James Bond entry “No Time to Die”. And as you probably know, Reeves returns. (This takes place in between “Chapter 3 — Parabellum” and “Chapter 4”.) His presence is welcome. Ian McShane is back too, along with the late Lance Reddick (who died in 2023), in his final appearance. There’s still a great significance to The Continental, and no matter how the makers will figure it out, I don’t think its doors will close anytime soon.
LCJ GRADE: B-
Running Time: 125 min.