Whenever the names of 87North Productions or 87Eleven Entertainment are linked to a new project, my interest immediately spikes. After all, we’re talking about the teams that redefined modern action cinema with the John Wick franchise and continued to leave their mark on films like Nobody, Violent Night, or The Fall Guy. The idea of blending the rigid discipline of ballet with the choreographed brutality of a survival thriller seemed, in theory, like the perfect recipe for an electrifying experience…
In Pretty Lethal, we follow a group of young ballerinas who, during a tour in Hungary, see their retreat turned into a bloody battlefield. Directed by Vicky Jewson (Close) and penned by Kate Freund (The Afterparty), the mostly female cast is led by Maddie Ziegler (The Fallout) and also features veteran Uma Thurman (Pulp Fiction). What starts as an intense competition for a lead role quickly transforms into a desperate fight for survival when the group crosses paths with local criminal forces.
The standout element in Pretty Lethal is, without a doubt, the concept of “ballet-fu.” It’s genuinely interesting to observe how the stunt team and choreographers managed to translate the flexibility and balance of pointe shoes into lethal tools. The third act, in particular, is a spectacle of chaotic creativity where the choreography reaches its peak. There’s an impressive fluidity to the fights that mirrors the physical dedication of the protagonists, making the action sequences the most fun and inventive moments of the movie. This is where the film finds its identity, delivering the raw and visually appealing entertainment promised.
Unfortunately, as soon as the action is interrupted and the narrative itself takes the reins, the weaknesses become glaring. While there’s a visible chemistry between the lead actresses when they interact as a group, the individual performances in Pretty Lethal leave much to be desired. Ziegler, despite her undeniable physical competence, doesn’t yet show enough confidence to carry the weight of a lead. Many of her lines are delivered with an intensity that feels forced and unnatural, preventing a true emotional connection with her character. Not doing much better, the comic relief attempts by Lana Condor (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before) and Avantika (Mean Girls) rarely work, but it would be unfair to blame the performers alone. The script is so basic and lazy that the jokes feel dated on arrival, culminating in comedic moments that fall completely flat.
This narrative poverty extends to the character construction and the story itself. Everything in Pretty Lethal is extremely thin: motivations are superficial, and the development arcs for these young women are nonexistent, which means that, at the end of the day, their fate carries little to no weight. Even Thurman, who plays an archetypal figure with an obvious taste for campy exaggeration, ends up being underutilized. You can tell the actress is having fun with the stylized antagonist role, but she doesn’t have any substantial material to chew on, remaining limited to an imposing but hollow presence.
The biggest issue with Pretty Lethal lies, however, in its inability to define a coherent tone. The tonal whiplash is severe and constant, oscillating between a gritty survival thriller and a vapid action-comedy without ever finding the right balance. Despite the short runtime, the story manages to feel slow and, at times, bloated. There’s an entire unnecessary subplot involving the Russian mafia that adds absolutely nothing relevant to our protagonists’ journey, serving only to fill time in a script that already feels disjointed and formulaic. It’s frustrating to see a premise with so much potential be dragged down by editing and screenwriting choices that make the experience one of the most underwhelming movies of the year.
Final Thoughts on Pretty Lethal
Pretty Lethal relies solely on the technical beauty of its fights, failing miserably to build a narrative foundation that supports such physical agility. Between brilliant choreography and a disastrous script, the film serves as further proof that all the technical grace in the world can’t save a story that lacks soul or direction.
Rating: C-
Pretty Lethal is now playing on Prime Video.
Learn more about the film, including how to buy tickets, at the official website for the title.
You might also like…
