Summary
Ballerinapulled off something great for theJohn Wickfranchise, and it has nothing to do with the spinoff’s action. DespiteJohn Wick: Chapter 4attempting to bring the franchise to a close, the series Keanu Reeves helped spawn has been searching for ways to continue. Plans forJohn Wick 5have reportedly been discussed, but spinoffs have been the proposed path for the series, which started withThe Continentalminiseries telling Winston’s backstory in 1970s New York.
Ballerinais the most recent outing in theJohn Wickuniverse. It stars Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro, a trained Ruska Roma assassin who goes rogue in an attempt to stop the cult of killers that orphaned her. Reeves reprises his role as Wick, helping to tie the film into the universe, with Ian McShane and Lance Reddick, in one of his final roles, once again playing Winston and Charon. Eve even proves she can hold her own, squaring off against Wick inBallerina. However,beyond the action Ballerina nails, it helps theJohn Wickuniverse in one crucial aspect that it needs to move forward.
BallerinaSucceeded For TheJohn WickUniverse With More Than Just Action
Ballerinadelivers the action fans of the franchise have come to expect.Eve endures similar training as John Wick, even learning from Anjelica Huston’s Director. Eve is a skilled marksman, her martial arts skills hold up against Wick, and she’s proven capable of quick environmental improvisation during combat.Ballerinaeven features uniquefight sequences, with Eve using ice skates and a flamethrower to deadly effect. However,beyond the thrills it features throughout its action set pieces,Ballerinahelps expandJohn Wick’slore.
When the firstJohn Wickmovie debuted, it established a unique underworld with hotels like the Continental and a gold coin payment system. The world and lore surrounding the underworld have been fleshed out throughout the films, with interesting elements helping to bring it to life. The High Table was introduced as a ruling body over the criminal underworld, characters like The Adjudicator helped show their management system, and details like irrefutable blood markers have all been fantastic additions.
The Continentalshed light on Winston’s backstory, showing how he took control of New York’s Continental. However, it failed to add any distinctly new elements tothe world ofJohn Wick. The plot ofBallerinaadds something that stands out, which feels at home within the universe.Ballerinaintroduces a new story element that could continue helping theJohn Wickspinoffs thrive via the villains Eve finds herself up against.
The Mysterious Cult Of Assassins InBallerinaIs The Perfect Way To ExpandJohn Wick’sLore
The underground world of crime painted withintheJohn Wickfilmsfeels simultaneously grounded and grandiose, allowing an intricate system to thrive within society without the knowledge of everyday people.Ballerinanavigates the universe established by Reeves' action franchise, adding something new with the cult of assassins Eve is after.
The cult doesn’t have an exact location, but whispers aid Eve in learning that it is ruthless and identifiable through brands on its members' wrists. Huston’s Director has kept peace between the Ruska Roma and the cult for years, knowing they are more trouble than they are worth, as their vicious ways strike fear into even seasoned underworld figures. When Eve does find the cult’s location, it’s revealed that they have control of an entire town, and no matter the job, the worker is a skilled fighter and marksman, posing a disturbing threat for her to fight through.
The Chancellor, played by Gabriel Byrne, is shown to have little emotion and is willing to sacrifice family and even children to ensure the survival of their beliefs and way of life. While this feels overly heinous,the cult does fit well into the world of John Wick, adding to elements like the Continental, which shouldn’t be a place that could exist, and adds the idea of a town inhabited by a killer cult of assassins.With organizations like the Ruska Roma already fueling the plot,the cult inBallerina feels like a welcome additionto the universe that is appropriately fleshed out from the already-established world of John Wick.
The Cult Could Return In MoreJohn WickMovies, And Norman Reedus’s Daniel Pine Is Still Around
While Eve’s story sees numerous elements of the cultinBallerinastomped out, that doesn’t mean they couldn’t continue to pose a threat in upcoming projects. With an organization that operates like the movie’s cult does, they likely have people, and potentially even other towns, spread out around the world.The final moments ofBallerinaalso leave Eve on the run, setting her up to be in direct conflict with many people, and the remaining cultists could want revenge.
One of the most significant aspects set up byBallerinais Norman Reedus’s Daniel Pine.The character plays an important, albeit minor, part in the story, acting as a cult member seeking to break away, much like her father did. With Eve’s war against the cult and Pine’s continued survival, he could easily return for aBallerinasequel, with the remaining cultists out for him. Given his star power, it also feels odd to limit Reedus' role to something almost as small as Reeves', with director Len Wiseman confirming throughEntertainment Weekly:
I cast Norman Reedus because I have plans for him.
Whatever the plans for theJohn Wickuniverse ultimately end up being, future installments can learn a lesson fromBallerina’scult (as weird as that sounds). By adding something new to the fantastical elements of the world that still feel at home inJohn Wick, future outings can help the franchise grow with lore and action likeBallerina.
