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17th January 2026
04:44pm GMT

Prime Video has just added Ballerina, one of the biggest action movies of last year.
A spin-off to the beloved John Wick franchise, Ballerina revolves around Eve (Oscar-nominee Ana de Armas - Blonde, Knives Out), an orphan who is sent to be looked after by the Ruska Roma, a secretive criminal organisation within the world of the films.
Specialising in training assassins, having also tutored the most legendary hitman of all in John Wick (Keanu Reeves, returning in a supporting role), Eve spends years becoming a professional killer.
When carrying out a mission as an adult, Eve uncovers information that relates to the Cultists, another less civilised crime syndicate that kill people for sport that were responsible for her parents' murder.
Seeking revenge, the Ruska Roma member goes on a globe trotting mission to track down the Cultists' leader, who is named The Chancellor (Ireland's own Gabriel Byrne, The Usual Suspects).
Upon its cinema release, Ballerina earned solid reviews from critics for the most part.
Some questioned whether another John Wick spin-off (after the Prime Video prequel series The Continental) was necessary and found the movie's first half "generic".
That said, the film's likeable lead turn by de Armas, its action set-pieces, and its second half - which introduces an Alpine village populated entirely by assassins in it for love of the game - have been singled out for strong praise.
You can read some of the glowing reviews for Ballerina below:
Detroit News: "It takes a while for Ballerina to find its footing, but once it does, this explosive action romp proves to be a worthy extension of the John Wick universe."
Empire: "A Wick-edly entertaining addition to one of cinema’s best action franchises."
The Film Verdict: "The fight scenes are all Ballerina has going for it, but they’re frequent, varied, and clever enough to make watching the film a worthy summer pastime."
Movie Mom: "Yes, the stunts are always spectacular, but what makes the John Wick movies enthralling is the world, a parallel universe where international assassins operate in ultra-elegant surroundings without any interference from cops or, well, reality."
New Statesman: "Happily, Ballerina is superb -- a tight two hours of deeply stressful action, with a body count that must be in the triple digits before the first half hour is up."
Time: "The pleasures of Ballerina are both blunt and fleeting; you’re not going to remember the plot—or any of the performances, perhaps save one—five minutes after the end credits role. But the picture’s cartoonish brutality is cathartic."
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Ballerina is streaming on Prime Video in Ireland and the UK right now.
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