Ana de Armas’ John Wick spinoff explores the story Keanu Reeves’ assassin likely never will

In the murky world of John Wick, filled with rules, currency, and ruthless assassins, he has always been a mystery - quiet, effective, and impossible to understand.

However, the recent addition, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas, seems to change that. For the first time, the franchise has ceased its relentless focus on striking elegance and unmatched notoriety to tell a story of becoming, not being.

A new face, a new origin

Eve’s transformation happens in real-time, which is unlike John Wick and his implied, mythical past. This doesn’t serve as yet another tale of vengeance.

Rather, it’s a narrative filled with rage amidst the backdrop of a coming-of-age story within a violent system that seeks to strip its victims of their softness. Viewers will witness Eve’s training under Ruska Roma, the organization that raised Wick, and the myriad physical and psychological challenges that accompany survival in the world of assassination.

Why Wick’s past is better left unseen

The mystery of John Wick, played by Keanu Reeves, has remained an enigma for a long time. Despite four films and numerous deaths, very few fans know anything about his childhood, education, and how he rose to power. All of this is intentional. His legend is built on whispers: an ‘impossible task,’ dreaded reputation, and a love gone. Uncovering too much would erode the mythology that the franchise meticulously crafted.

Wick’s cameo in Ballerina is brief, but it connects “old” and “new,” solidifying Wick’s persona while passing the narrative baton to a new lead. Instead of retelling his origin story, the franchise wisely decides to tell a somewhat different story, but told from a completely different point of view.

A female assassin’s perspective shakes up the franchise

Where Wick is cold and calculated, Eve is fiery and driven by instincts. Her journey is not solely motivated by revenge. It concerns identity, grief, and the price of becoming a person who kills for a living. The stakes feel different because we meet her before the legend starts. Mistakes are made, losses are recent, and her mental and emotional fragility render her path unpredictable.

Placed between John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4, this film expands on the High Table’s educational facilities, especially from a feminine perspective, which is absent from the rest of the series. Eve is not simply a gender-swapped Wick. She is another beast molded by the same heartless world.

Ballerina keeps the franchise fresh

Ballerina refreshes the John Wick universe by incorporating a new perspective instead of repeating the already established formula. It spares fans the dull experience of iteration by expanding the universe through meaningful character development.

Eve’s transition from revenge to a calling is aimed at enhancing the sentimental root of the saga and shedding light on the assassin realm from a different angle. This is a respectful yet audacious way of honoring the past while venturing into unexplored territory of the franchise.