In contrast, “Ballerina”—like the four John Wick films that it’s spun off from—is, strangely, far better at story than at action. The first John Wick film is the weakest, because the framework for the franchise was still unformed: a retired hit man (Keanu Reeves) gets back into action to respond to a mobster’s attacks.

Ana de Armas plays a dancer-turned-assassin in Len Wiseman’s violent franchise spinoff.

Ana de Armas proves her action-hero mettle and makes herself as essential to "John Wick" as Keanu Reeves himself in her stellar spinoff "Ballerina."