I really wanted to make sure I got a chance to see Ballerina before it left the theaters, and I’m glad I did.

I’d heard a bit of mixed early reactions to the film, so I wasn’t sure going into it if I’d really enjoy it or if I’d be disappointed. In particular, some folks thought the first act of the film was slow and there was way too much setup.

I have no idea what they’re talking about! I’m always a sucker for a good training montage, and this was one hell of a training montage. Given that this is the first time throughout all of the John Wick #movies so far that John Wick is not the main character (though he definitely plays an integral role, hallelujah!), I needed a reason to care about Eve Macarro (played to perfection by Ana de Armas), and this film gave it to me in spades.

I agree with the Graeme Tuckett review excerpt on Rotten Tomatoes:

The Wick series has always featured deceptively excellent writing, a winking self-awareness and a commitment to as much old-school stunt work as a two-hour running time can hold. Ballerina holds true to those values and builds on what has gone before.

Not only that, but I thought Ballerina was incredibly well directed and shot. Yes, all of the John Wick films offer a very specific sort of stark beauty, but they can also feel quite stylized. This installment perhaps felt the most grounded in reality, and the cinematography alone held my attention from start to finish. Despite the fact Ballerina hasn’t fared all that well at the box office (for reasons I honestly can’t fathom), I hope both the director (Len Wiseman) and the DP (Romain Lacourbas) can continue to make lots more awesome in Hollywood.

One other note, perhaps my only real disappointment although its wrapped in a celebration: the principal villain of the story is played by none other than the one, the only Gabriel Byrne. Byrne is one of my all-time favorite character actors, and of course he’s Irish so that’s immediately a feather in his cap. However, once my elation had worn off from seeing him loom large on the silver screen, I was a wee bit bummed the screenplay didn’t give him much to work with. I won’t say his was a one-note performance, because he’s simply too good for that; he clearly did the best job he could with the material he had to work with. I just wish they’d gone the extra mile to make him an iconic bad guy in the franchise. Instead, he’s merely a grumpy jerk. Oh well.

Indeed, the plot of the movie in parts was a little thin I’d say, but other than those minor quibbles, I thoroughly enjoyed watching this film and consider it a worthy member of the John Wick franchise. Will we see a Ballerina 2 in the future? I suspect that’s unlikely, but if it happens I’ll be the first to go see it without hesitation.