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.

For those who don’t care about spoilers, here's a breakdown of how John Wick fits into the Ballerina story. Much of Ballerina takes place at the same time as the 2019 film John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum.

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