PRETTY LETHAL

Pretty Lethal features some deliciously fun and excellent choreographed fight sequences which alone are worth the price of admission, but a generic story and unremarkable characters prevents the film from being the wildly entertaining and outlandish action film it strives to be despite its strong female cast.

87 North continues to find inventive ways to deliver relentless action films heavily featuring their signature, excellently choreographed and brutally violent set pieces, ensuring that no two films of theirs ever feel the same. This time, their latest film is distinguished from its predecessors by being situated in the world of ballet in what can only be described as John Wick meets Taken meets Mean Girls, as a group of young ballerinas battle a group of Hungarian gangsters. It’s a simplistic plot that lets the spotlight be consistently stolen by the film’s action set pieces which are thoroughly entertaining, which packs just enough grit into an otherwise biteless film to make for an enjoyable watch.

Before that opening title card of Pretty Lethal appears on screen, there is an exciting potential that director Vicky Jewson and writer Kelly Freund infuse the film with. From bickering ballerinas with some attitude issues, a dangerous inn, to an eclectic group of locals, there is an undeniable tension and danger that kicks off the film that generates both laughter and a sense of unease within viewers. It’s obvious that something is not right about the inn that the ballerinas find themselves at, the locals objectification of them is unsettling, shadowy business deals are taking place just out of plain sight, all while the girls put on a performance in the fresh tutus provided by the owner of the inn, a former prima ballerina herself. It culminates with a shocking event that kicks the rest of the film into motion, finally revealing the title card with an electrifying energy that will generate true shock within viewers, but sadly most of what follows cannot match this expert kickoff to the film.

After the young ballerinas realize the true danger they are in and fight to escape the situation they find themselves in, Pretty Lethal unfortunately loses its footing and stumbles its grand jeté. While it never crosses into the territory of being a bad film, as the fight sequences are wildly entertaining and enough to elevate the overall experience, everything else that plays out after its strong opening feels too safe, failing to capitalize on the shocking setup of the film. The conflict between the young ballerinas is too easily and quickly overcome, allowing them to band together without breaking down their walls and able to find a way to escape their captors and still make the big dance recital on time, all without any true sense of danger as there is never a second where the audience will genuinely believe that one of the young ballerinas won’t make it out of the film alive. This writing never feels in sync with the brutal and bloody fight sequences that play out during the film, delivering a story that feels more PG-13 than the R rating that the film bears, creating a disconnect with the drastically tonally different short film that occurred before the opening title card.

Regardless of how predictably the rest of the film plays out, what Pretty Lethal does excel at is its fight sequences. Packing excellent fight choreography that seamlessly integrates ballet dance into them, each sequence plays out with a fluidity that delivers the show=stopping action sequences that viewers have come for. Fully embracing the film’s R rating, the fight sequences are never short on blood and brutality, delivering some wickedly fun kills as these young ballerinas eloquently pirouette, wield weapons and kill their assailants; captured with dynamic camera work from cinematographer Bridger Nielson that lets the athleticism of the cast shine aided by the editing that lets the longer camera takes playout. Paired with great soundtrack choices for these sequences, featuring classical music such as The Nutcracker and other notable tunes that audiences associate with ballet, there is an undeniable sense of fun to these sequences that blends the relentless violence with the eloquence of ballet (notably in the show-stopping action extravaganza which closes out the film’s second act), ensuring that every single set piece will generate applause from your living room.

One of the film’s biggest assets is its leading cast, as there are some great actresses involved who are perfectly suited for the project, and their efforts help to inject a wicked sense of fun to an otherwise humdrum screenplay. Lana Candor is great as Princess, the rich spoiled brat of the ballet company, wearing her character’s privilege and entitlement with a wicked glee, creating a fun frenemy for the film. Avantika is a blast as Grace, leaning heavily into her comedic talents and delivering consistent laughter as she portrays Grace’s drugged state, while Millicent Simmonds is solid as Chloe even if she deserved more screen time. Iris Apatow is fine as Zoe, despite the fact that of all the young ballerinas her character has the least distinguished role which gives her little to work with and no chance to stand out amongst her co-stars, while Maddie Ziegler remains rather one note as Bones and fails to create an exciting lead character. As a group, all of these young actresses have an infectious energy between them which sustains the film’s momentum, whether it be the fun in their bickering, the true sense of friendship and trust when called upon by the story, or their great execution of the dance and fight choreography as a team that brings to life the film’s showcase moments. As the legendary prima ballerina, Uma Thurman has the perfect accent and menacing presence to create the film’s big villain, but sadly to no fault of Thurman, the screenplay never gives her the chilling moment to allow her to become a truly memorable villain.

When the music is playing and the blood is flying, there is an undeniable fun to Pretty Lethal that makes for great escapism viewing that will no doubt fulfill the desire for some deadly female action sequences. But, the generic story that unfolds despite the film’s daring opening is a disservice to both its stars and audience, as had the story fully embraced its true darkness, Pretty Lethal could have been something special. With wickedly violent, brutal and bloody fight sequences that blend the boundaries between fighting and ballet, which are excellently executed by the film’s leading cast, Pretty Lethal is a fun watch with some truly entertaining performances from Lana Condor and Avantika that easily make up for its commonplace and safe story.