Ballerine

Ballerina attempts to carve its niche in the revenge-action genre offering a departure from the typical over-the-top fight scenes we've grown accustomed to. The film takes a realistic approach, presenting a grittier and emotionally charged narrative.

The pace of the movie is one of its strengths, swiftly moving from one scene to another. You'll find yourself towards the climax before you know it. Despite the simplicity of the plot, Ballerina touches on dark subjects that evoke genuine emotions. The soundtrack, too, adds to its strength. Despite feeling rushed at times, the fast-paced nature keeps you on your toes.

Jeon Jong-seo, known for her stellar performance in The Call (one of my recent favorites), once again impresses as the female lead. Despite limited dialogue, her ability to convey emotions through body language and expressions is commendable.

The action and fighting sequences are good, however, the gun violence surpasses the fight choreography. The nuanced and sweet relationship between the Ballerina and the protagonist forms the emotional core of the film.

Ballerina delves into dark themes of assault and grooming, with a focus on a woman's quest for justice and discovering the extent of her friend's suffering. While some scenes bring laughter due to their absurdity, the overall tone remains dark and uncomfortable, accompanied by fighting scenes.

Unfortunately, it relies heavily on its impressive visuals than the substance. It seems to lack depth. Despite great action sequences, dark theme, it does not fully impress you although the climax was good enough.

In the realm of South Korean movies, Ballerina might not reach the heights of some of its counterparts. Its cool visuals, impressive action, and a standout lead performance make it a decent Friday night movie, offering a different take on the revenge-action genre. However, its flaws, including a lackluster plot and more action than substance might leave some viewers wanting more from the overall experience.

This is the action thriller of the year. It's been proven before that Korean action thrillers are well done from Man from Nowhere to No Mercy. In Ballerina there is a quick emotional involvement with the characters that grips and then lots of convincing original action. And the actors have star quality and charisma that keeps you watching. So it's an entertaining gripping watch that isn't too long. The violence is quite something even for jaded action fans. The fighting is brilliantly choreographed.

A shout out to the leading cast members who really make this show. Terrific female lead Jeong Jeon Seo has an attitude and modern look that suits this type of movie perfectly. Kim Ji Hoon gives another convincing villain performance. He was great in Flower of Evil and he does it again here.

Luc Besson fans will like this one. Though it is less comical than Besson movies.

If you're looking for the next Godfather, Unusual Suspects, or some other smartly written film, seek life elsewhere. This is a great action packed film with an excellent cast and a simple storyline. The action is great and is pretty violent, for those of us who enjoy that genre. The acting is pretty good and convincing. Standard revenge for a fallen friend, but well worth the time investment. The villains are so unlikable, it just makes rooting for the heroine that much better. Very clever how she outsmarts and hunts down the bad guys. I really like well developed and though through the heroine is. The whole hidden past thing is predictable, but you can forgive it for this fun film.

Full Disclosure- I am a Korean Cinemaphile. I have written for years that Korean films are as good, or better, than Hollywood movies currently being made. This is especially true in the action genre. This film is a perfect example. It is a gritty action film about a talented, but reluctant, woman with deadly skills who is forced to use them to avenge her friend, the Ballerina. The film uses the subject of sex slavery and involuntary pornogrpahy as its somber backdrop to generate the basis for the action in this one. Its stars are good, although somewhat animated. The action and fighting are good. The gun violence is better than the fight choreography. The relationship between the Ballerina and the star is nuanced and very sweet. It is the foundation upon which it the film is built. You can watch in English dubbed version, but I prefer in Korean with English subtitles.

... Hollywood is mainly concerned with churning out pre-sold, pre-packaged, pre-digested, product to feed the maw of streaming media. Korea, on the other hand, still encourages uniqueness and individuality among its creators. Plus, Korean cinema has a reputation for producing some of the best rom-coms, and best revenge thrillers, on the planet. It is easy to criticize Ballerina for being too artsy, too slow-moving in the middle act, and too reliant on flashbacks. Fact is, however, flaws and all, it is still one of the best thrillers of its kind to emerge this year. Notice also also that the notes and beats are remarkably similar to Equalizer 3 -- smashing open, slow middle, and killer final act. Satisfying. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))