Knives, Guns, Action!
Film: From the World of John Wick: Ballerina
Cast: Ana de Armas, Gabriel Byrne, Keanu Reeves
Directed by: Len Wiseman
Duration: 2 hours 3 minutes
Rating: * * *
A spin-off of the John Wick films, Ballerina represents the fifth instalment in the franchise renowned for its unrestrained action. Additionally, the extended title (From the World of John Wick: Ballerina) indicates that the filmmakers intended for audiences to recognise this as a John Wick film, rather than a standalone entry. Although his presence is minimal, the film retains the essence of a John Wick narrative. Ana de Armas, portraying Ballerina, essentially mirrors the actions of the dog-loving assassin.
Ballerina serves as a prequel to the preceding film, John Wick: Chapter 4. It is advisable to consult Wikipedia to refresh your memory regarding the intricate details of the film. In terms of narrative depth, this film is relatively light; however, we don’t typically watch a John Wick film for its storyline – the action is the primary focus, and in that regard, the film does not disappoint. The climax features the Ballerina unleashing chaos with a flame thrower powered by propane.
To a significant extent, female assassins have been stereotyped in recent Hollywood films. They are often developed along similar lines, and their motivations frequently align as well. In this film, we meet a young girl named Eve, whose father is entangled with nefarious individuals, prompting the Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne) of the assassin cult to come after him.
Eve (Ana de Armas) is trained by Ruska Roma, the same cult that prepared John Wick (Keanu Reeves, who makes an extended cameo in the film). They train her in ballet, combat, marksmanship, knife skills, and how to both deliver and withstand blows. While John Wick embarked on a quest for vengeance due to a dog, Ballerina goes to extremes to avenge her family issues. She carries the scars of her past and has a score to settle – a premise that is not particularly original.
Once trained, she just requires a reason to engage in combat. Her initial task is to safeguard the daughter of a businessman who is concerned about a potential kidnapping. Action infused with humour is undeniably more enjoyable than action devoid of it. In one particular scene, amidst an ongoing fight, the television channels continuously switch due to the remote control buttons being pressed – we catch a glimpse of the iconic scene from Steamboat Bill Jr (1928), paying homage to one of the most remarkable stunt performers in history, Buster Keaton.
For the most part, the narrative adheres to conventional storytelling. Lance Reddick, in his final role, portrays the concierge at the Continental Hotel, which is intricately connected to the cult’s activities. Keanu Reeves makes appearances at both the beginning and the climax to ensure his presence is acknowledged. The film leans heavily on the action sequences and the charm of Ana de Armas, who serves as an effective counterpart to Reeves. The climax featuring flamethrowers stands out as the film’s pinnacle, and it is evident that the action choreographer has invested significant effort into many of the sequences. There is a particular moment where the choreography and cinematography work seamlessly together. A pedestal shot (the camera ascends) captures Ballerina as she departs in a car – shortly thereafter, at an intersection, another vehicle from the opposite side collides with her, pushing her back, at which point the camera descends to eye level, all within the same shot.
Ana de Armas excels whether she is delivering kicks, punches, gunfire, or stabbings, and even when she is not engaged in any of these actions. The conclusion leaves plenty of room for a sequel – in fact, it almost explicitly suggests that one is forthcoming.
The Great Divide
Film: Stolen
Cast: Abhishek Banerjee, Shubham Vardhan, Mia Maelzer
Directed by: Karan Tejpal
Duration: 1 hour 33 minutes
Rating: * * * *
Stolen is a rare film in Hindi cinema that maintains a clear focus on its central issue and is executed with precision. There is no unnecessary wandering, nor are there any subplots that detract from the main narrative – this is a meaty film. Although it premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2023 and received positive acclaim, it did not receive the theatrical release it warranted. However, thanks to the efforts of Anurag Kashyap, Kiran Rao, Nikkhil Advani, and Vikramaditya Motwane, who helped bring it to fruition, it is now available for streaming on OTT platforms, despite its potential to stand independently. It reflects the disastrous state of affairs when it comes to film distribution in the country but that is a subject for another day.
Directed by debutant Karan Tejpal, Stolen draws inspiration from a true event that took place in 2018, where a mob mistakenly lynched two young men, believing them to be child abductors – an incident that was recorded and shared online.
The film utilises this premise but takes time to develop it further. Gautam (Abhishek Banerjee) arrives at the railway station to pick his brother Raman (Shubham Vardhan) – a family celebration is underway, which also brings a degree of embarrassment. In the opening scene, we witness a tribal woman resting with her baby when a pair of hands snatches the child and flees. The woman, Jhumpa (Mia Maelzer), awakens to find her baby gone and encounters Raman on the railway platform. Initially, she suspects him to be part of the abduction gang. The police become involved, and the brothers explain that they were merely in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, when dealing with law enforcement in the country, one either escapes quickly or is ensnared indefinitely.
The characterisation and writing by Tejpal, Gaurav Dhingra, and Swapnil Salkar ‘Agadbumb’ clearly delineate the positions of the characters. Gautam is evidently the more prosperous of the two brothers, as indicated by his ownership of a SUV that quickly becomes central to the plot. He is willing to bribe the police, despite their innocence, to escape the situation. He embodies the archetype of an upper-class rural Indian. In contrast, Raman is portrayed as the more principled brother; he is a photographer and an artist. When a marginalised woman loses her baby and faces false accusations, he believes they should assist her, even if it jeopardises their plans for the celebration. He is determined to take a stand and fight it out.
As for Jhumpa, her behaviour implies that there is more to her than what the brothers perceive. We are aware that she is mourning the loss of her baby but she still clings to the hope of recovering her. However, given her background, you know that the chances of her getting justice are slim.
The narrative shifts to the rural area, where the trio is pursued by mobs eager for vengeance. The video branding them as child abductors has gone viral, and their escape results in some exceptional action sequences. The car chase scene evokes memories of Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men (2006), which is intended as a compliment. The editing by Shreyas Beltangdy and the cinematography by Ishaan Ghosh inject urgency into several scenes, enhanced by the sound design and background score.
In addition to functioning effectively as a thriller, Stolen also addresses societal issues, ranging from mob mentality to the urban-rural divide, and the challenges surrounding surrogacy. The film offers much more than mere thrills and car chases.
The cast delivers outstanding performances; Abhishek Banerjee and Shubham Vardhan exhibit remarkable chemistry and are impeccably cast. Similarly, Mia Maelzer enhances her role with her raw portrayal.
This film exemplifies exceptional filmmaking, with all departments working in harmony.
