[EXPRESSO] Ballerina (2025) | Eve Of Destruction

Ah, yes, Ballerina, the long delayed John Wick spin-off… as in the film one, and i guess the only one people cared about, since i’m not even sure many bothered to watch The Continental, the Peacock/Amazon series also a part of the John Wick world-lore-universe, and to my understanding not many that did saw the series liked it. I didn’t bother, honestly even forgot it existed.

Ballerina follows the revenge tale of a young girl, Eva Makarro, whom, after seeing her father being killed by assassins belonging to a sect of sorts, is taken in by the Ruska Roma assassin order, and over a decade is trained into being a perfect assassin (alongside spy and ballerina), especially one meant to act as bodyguards if need be, until she eventually is promoted as a full fledged operative.

One day, after completing a job, Eva is attacked by a man bearing the same scar mark she saw on the sect men that killed her father, so she starts investigating on them, despite being advised not to by every important figure, which puts Eva as a rogue agent that threatens the fragile “peace” between the various assassin orders and the sect, prompting eventually to call upon her the “Baba Yaga”, Joh Wick himself…

Not too original, as expected, but honestly i did enjoy this more than John Wick 4, as it strikes a better balance between the straightforward revenge plot beats, the over the top yet not 100 % detatched from reality style of violent action and the whole comic-book style worldbuilding.

Ballerina definitely understands the appeal and what works of the John Wick formula, manages to expand the lore a bit while also not overusing John Wick itself, even though it takes a bit for the movie to get fully into gear.

[EXPRESSO] 007: No Time To Die (2021) | Next, on The Venture Bros…

I was almost not gonna review this new 007 film, i usually enjoy them, but they’re not exactly my favourite type of movie, and i haven’t see one in theathers (or at all) since Casino Royale, but i’d figured we could use a break from the horror stuff, and i trust Cary Fukunaga.

Before tackling the plot, let me say i like Daniel Craig as Bond, but i won’t lie, i did like the idea-rumor of casting Idris Elba as the secret agent himself that was floating around when the movie was announced, but i guess we’ll have to wait for the next one.

Sure as hell they want it to feel like a big comeback, since it has been 6 years since the last one, Spectre, which wasn’t that well received, and this also being the last time Craig will play the character…. i guess explains how (and partially “why”) it’s almost 3 hours.

Plot is about James Bond being recruited by the CIA (after he resigned from the MI6) to rescue a kidnapped scientist, but things lead to thing and eventually to a showdown between Bond and a powerful villain (played by Rami Malek) with a nefarious plan…

Maybe it’s because i literally haven’t seen a Bond film in more than a decade, but honestly this actually hits all the right and expected notes from a 007 flick, it embraces the style of the series and plays it just right, without trying to ape other spy flicks, cynically chasing modern trends or – on the flipside – stubbornly trenching itself in the old shit just to spite modernity.

It’s a consolidated, familiar formula, here well executed, with likeable characters, spectacular action setpieces, a stellar cast. Arguably a bit longer than one would expected (or want), but far from slow moving, good overall, i’d say.