As its unwieldy and widely marketed title would suggest, the spin-off movie “From the World of John Wick: Ballerina” expands the world of the hit Keanu Reeves-led action franchise. Starring Ana de Armas, the film brings its own tightly choreographed and stylishly executed action set pieces in a globe-trotting revenge adventure. However, with South Korean shows and movies, or K-dramas, continuing to find success globally, Netflix has its revenge flick that “John Wick” fans should check out. Ironically, this movie is also and more succinctly titled “Ballerina,” albeit completely unrelated to the American film franchise, weaving its own standalone tale of vengeance.
The Korean “Ballerina” follows former professional bodyguard Jang Ok-ju (Jeon Jong-seo), who sets out to avenge her best friend Choi Min-hee (Park Yu-rim). Min-hee had fallen victim to sex trafficker and mobster Choi Pro (Kim Ji-hoon), who regularly rapes and extorts women through blackmail, threatening to release illicitly filmed videos of the assaults. Tracking Choi Pro down, Ok-ju pretends to be his latest victim only to turn the tables on him, putting the villain on the defensive. This feud escalates to include Choi Pro’s entire sex and drug trafficking ring, as Ok-ju embarks on a violently grueling crusade to take her friend’s tormentor and his associates down.
As the synopsis above suggests, the Korean “Ballerina” is wildly different from the “John Wick” franchise, but here’s why fans of the American action movies will be thrilled by it.
How the K-drama Ballerina compares to the John Wick spin-off
Given its narrative emphasis on sexual assault, the Korean “Ballerina” is a darker and more raw revenge story that’s certainly not for viewers sensitive to the subject matter. However, what it does, it does really well, with Jeon Jong-seo bringing a steely-eyed determination to her lead role. That singular focus and professionalism in combat evokes Keanu Reeves and Ana de Armas’ own roles in the “John Wick” franchise, but with more visibly grounded realism. There are no shadowy assassin organizations with their own vaunted rules, fancy hotels, or bulletproof suits, just meticulously plotted out revenge with conventional weapons.
Where “Ballerina” resembles the “John Wick” movies the most is in its overall presentation, particularly regarding its cinematography and musical score. Composed by South Korean rapper and music producer Gray, the “Ballerina” soundtrack has the same pulsating rhythm and sonic sensibilities as Tyler Bates’ work composing for the “John Wick” films. Couple that with neon-lit nightclubs and other similar atmospheric settings, and “Ballerina” noticeably captures the mood of its American counterpart. The revenge stakes may be more viciously sadistic in “Ballerina,” but the dressings around it definitely feel at least partially inspired by “John Wick.”
Available to stream on Netflix, “Ballerina” isn’t for the faint of heart, but for those looking for an action movie with a dark style, this movie delivers in full.
