‘Pretty Lethal’ Review – Ballerina Thriller Delivers Action And Fun

What’s a more fitting end to the Oscar season discourse over ballet, then for there to be an action-centric film where ballet is at the forefront? In some sense, it’s ironic to see that dance form front and center in an adrenaline-pumping action film, Pretty Lethal—the definition of grace under pressure. The film sees a ballet troupe turning their moves into weapons to save their skins. Forget Waltz of the Flowers, but an action romp that, while never settling on a tone, is a lot of fun and delivers a kick-ass plié!

The story wastes no time kicking off the action. Five ballerinas on their way to a prestigious dance competition are barely on speaking terms when their bus breaks down in a remote forest. With no other options, they reluctantly seek shelter at an unsettling roadside inn. The person in charge is Devora Kasimer (Uma Thurman), a reclusive former ballet prodigy. From the moment they arrive, something feels wrong—and their worst instincts prove right. As the situation turns deadly, the fractured team must set aside rivalries and weaponize years of brutal training. They turn grace, discipline, and even pointe shoes into tools for survival.

The jumping-off point starts when the girl’s instructor, Thorna (Lydia Leonard), discovers that the inn is a front for criminal activities. When she is gunned down by one of Kasimer’s goons, the five ballerinas (Maddie Ziegler, Iris Apatow, Lana Condor, Millicent Simmonds, and Avantika) are in a race against time. As a plus, the camaraderie between the troupe is captivating, but because of the condensed story, there is not enough time to cultivate much of a relationship. The story settles on tropes. For example, there is the outsider of the group, Bones (Maddie Zeigler), and the princess of the group, appropriately named Princess (Lana Condor). The focus on survival takes precedence, though it comes at the expense of character development.

However, the story’s heavy, Kasimer, is the true headliner, and Thurman turns in a spectacular performance. Her story of an ex-ballenrina with a score to settle adds extra dramatic weight to an otherwise light story that prioritizes blood and kicks over everything else. Even as she conjures up an accent, Thurman commands the screen and works in light comedy amid all the action and fury.   

Now, tonally the film is a bit of a malestrom. On the one hand, there is an effort to tell a story of female empowerment. However, it reveals itself only in a few moments, primarily at the end. However, because the story is nothing more than a sketch (ballerinas essentially become action heroines), any real emotional weight falls by the wayside. The story ultimately cannot decide whether it wants to say something about legacy and revenge, or have fun in a kind of high camp presentation. 

Where the story does work, however, is its focus on having the girls utilize their ballet training to their advantage. Even as they face a well-armed and ferocious pack of hired guns and goons, they put their years of ballet practice to good use. No one is a secret spy or hiding a secret career as a street fighter. Even though the entire outing is larger-than-life, the troupe is never turning into John-Wick wannabees, or Eve Macarros.

Interestingly, I could not help but think of Ballerina in parts of this film. The two stories are separate, save for the overlap involving ballet. Where the John Wick spin-off succeeds is in maintaining a consistent tone and a well-thought-out story—granted, that film had the presence of an entire cinematic universe to build on. Here, Pretty Lethal stands on its own, but the hollowness is apparent. An extra emphasis on either further developing the main characters or adding an extra wrinkle to the plot might have gone a long way.

Though there might be grand ambitions tucked in the crevices of the story, it manages to keep itself level-headed. The action is propulsive, and the story wastes no time on extended exposition or sidequests. Any dramatic chops fall to Thurman, who never fails to amaze. Fun is the world I keep returning to when I think about Pretty Lethal—a few critiques aside, it’s a pretty good time. 

Pretty Lethal is now available to stream exclusively on Prime Video.