Ballerina (2023)

A visually satisfying excellent production

This is a gem for cinematography lovers. The Camera-work is just genius, rarely seen such talented and unique work. The sceneries top, just beautiful. Even the bloody fight scenes well directed and originally choregraphed.

Yeah, the story is simple, very, very simple, but it's well made. I guess people complain a lot because for an action movie its pretty slow paced, there were many long scenes in the beginning and the dialogues are filled with many empty lines.

It's an action movie to enjoy for the action, dry humor, and amazing actors but in between there is nothing exceptional. The plot also non-existent, but if you have a knack for beautiful directed movies, this is something to enjoy because the visuals serve. Don't have any expectations for an unexpected plot development , it's a slow paced linear bloody movie.

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excels in the realm of action but lacks the engaging story

awe-inspiring acting performances that truly captivate the audience. The actors' talent shines brightly throughout the film. However, the movie falls short when it comes to storytelling. Beyond the first 20 minutes, the plot loses its grip on the audience, leaving viewers craving depth and substance. While action enthusiasts may find enjoyment in the film's relentless sequences, those seeking a compelling narrative may be disappointed. In essence, this movie excels in the realm of action but lacks the engaging story that could have elevated it to a higher level of cinematic excellence.

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REVENGE !!!

If there’s one thing I love about revenge plots, it’s when women do it. AND against a bunch of disgusting men.

Let me tell you, the main character wasted NO time. Killed the main boss in 3 seconds of his dialogue which was HILARIOUS!!! And soooo satisfying to see.

She was really there to get her revenge and spared no time for stupid villain dialogues inbetween the killings. Straight to the point, she made her mark and showed them what she’s really here for.

I loved the lovely story between the main character and her best friend. It was a beautiful friendship and i’m devastated that this story was about one of them dying and the other avenging.

On a side note, I really love when women help each other out, especially when okju helped the other girl out of there and the girl helped her too.

Really good action movie and I couldn’t recommend it more!!! Plus Okjus actress is superb at these type of roles. Really amazing. 10/10!!!

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A few times okay, but mostly BAD

I went into this movie understanding very little and came out understanding even less.

The trailer convinced me it was another movie from the revenge genre I have grown to love in Korean cinema. But this trainwreck felt more like a bad Kill Bill and Sin City crossover. Actors whom I am truly fond of and generally enjoy their work, were pigeonholed in this contrived, overdone, mess of a movie.

I won't deny that there were some action scenes that I really enjoyed that gave me hope for this movie, but they were ruined by this plot that made no sense. The movie truly started out promising in the first scene, I thought I was in for a treat. But it devolved into disconnected stories, a protagonist whose motivations were unconvincing, and side characters who added nothing to the film. The plot armour in this film was about as thick as 4 megalodons.

It's watchable to an extent, especially if you like these actors. But I think without them, there would be no reason to even entertain the thought of opening Ballerina.

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Ballerina (2023): A Flawed Execution

"Ballerina" makes the unfortunate decision to forgo its roots in Korea’s unique and captivating culture, opting instead for a Westernized presentation that permeates not only its soundtrack but also its overall ambiance. From the outset, the film presents itself as nothing more than a rehash of the worn-out, classic revenge tale we've all seen too many times to count, offering a viewing experience that's at best, one-time watchable.

The narrative unfolds with laughably poor acting coupled with a nonsensical revenge plan, culminating in a ridiculous "girls triumph" trope that falls flat on its face. Our protagonist, Ok-ju, initially appears as a passive character who miraculously transforms into a one-woman army capable of taking down a room filled with armed men - men who decided, quite arbitrarily, to turn their weapons against her despite their initial inaction. This far-fetched scenario screams of forced feminism and ends up feeling like a mockery rather than an empowering narrative.

The over-the-top ending does nothing to endear Ok-ju to the audience, leaving viewers with a bitter aftertaste and no connection whatsoever to the supposed hero of the story. It begs the question, why didn’t she use her firepower from the beginning? The decision to withhold until later scenes feels like a poorly conceived attempt to inject suspense, ultimately coming off as needless and contrived.

However, where "Ballerina" should shine - its action scenes - it instead fumbles terribly. The film's fight sequences are a chaotic mess, with the director opting for rapid, disorienting changes in camera angles that leave viewers struggling to follow. Far from being engaging or impressive, these scenes are a visual cacophony with no real impact. To add insult to injury, the soundtrack does little to complement these sequences, failing to enhance the viewing experience and leaving much to be desired.

In conclusion, "Ballerina" is a film you might watch once out of sheer curiosity but it is certainly not one that will leave a lasting impression or beckon for a rewatch. With its clichéd storyline, weak acting, and poorly executed action scenes, it’s a disappointing addition to the Korean film landscape. One can only hope future productions learn from these mistakes and deliver content that truly reflects and celebrates the rich tapestry of Korean culture and storytelling prowess.

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Jeong Seo is the main highlight of this movie.

The action was damn good and Jong seo nailed it. It isn't some extraordinary storyline just a raw revenge story with gore and satisfying ending to all the assholes. The story was fast paced without much drag and after every few minutes someone was dying . I liked it how they just killed off the drug lord in an instant even if he was the main boss of the syndicate without dragging it (he was right in front of her , she shot him........BOOM!! he is dead).

Kim Ji hoon as a BDSM addict psychopath did a good job too, you do end up hating him as much as you liked him in MHK.

The only problem I have was the camera cuts in some fights were too shaky and fast. Rest its a good one time watch action movie.

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simple revenge story , cool action with badass female lead

action scenes were pretty cool , the movie overall looked stylish but raw , crazy camera work in some scenes , great cinematography , lighting and colors
but shaky cam and fast cuts could be reduced . some slow motion shots or fast shots without shaky cam could be included here and there in jjs and kjh first fight scene . i don't completely dislike it though .
the action sequence at the end was great coz they included some slow mo shots along with the fast , long takes with cuts which i personally liked more + the choreography was amazing
story was simple , predictable
not as emotionally impactful or satisfying as i thought it would be
really liked the music
acting was good
good one time watch but i expected more action and gore even if the story was simple
7.5/10

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Watch it for the visuals

Honestly the storyline is just a simple revenge, nothing we couldn't expect so I'm not hating on it but also not loving it. For me it's the type of movie you want to watch "in the meantime" or "idk what to watch" so you just turn it on and for 1,5h you have something to do. Not a waste of time, but it definitely won't get any deeper thoughts.

However I gotta say that I really admire the visual side along with the acting. The whole vibe of Ballerina and the colour palette used for it fits the vibe so well. It's similar to for example My Name and I'm personally a big fan of this raw&gore yet somehow aesthetically pleasing atmosphere throughout the whole movie. Eye-catching and satisfying.
Plus acting was really on point and since there wasn't that much "talking", the actions and expressions made it really come through and actors did a really good job in this one.
Kind of wishing for better OST since it was alright but it could definitely be better but it's just a detail.

Summing up I don't agree with people saying "it's a waste of time" cause there's much more series/movies that will waste your time worse than this one. Ballerina is just a simple storyline with eye pleasing visuals and if you're looking for something to watch and forget about it soon after cause you have too many things going on to rethinking every single scene of a show and its meaning - it's a good choice to watch it. Acting's great, visuals even better, OST's alright, the length of the movie isn't tiring since it's only 1,5h.. it's just that the storyline is "revenge" and nothing else. Don't get why people hate on it that much lol

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Hooray for girl power....?

You come home after a long day of work and see this on your Netflix homepage. You watch it because you had a long day of work and you wanna turn your brain off. Story is the same old rehashed ex-bodyguard/assassin/fighter coming out of retirement/unemployment/being a bum to take avenge his/her parents'/friends'/pets' death. Main character takes on waves and waves of baddies and never loses. After you finish this movie, you go to bed and sleep and then the next day begins. The only thing that remembers this movie is your Netflix history.

This movie is entertaining, I'll give you that. The fight scenes were exciting and left me wanting more, despite being on the verge of a seizure with all the rapid jump cuts. Main actress not willing to do the stunt work herself? Strange directorial choice. Bad CGI at some points as well. In addition, the acting wasn't anything to be raved about; and I'm shocked to see that the lead actress actually won a Baeksang previously. She had 0 chemistry with the friend whose death she was avenging. Like girl, why? Logically I get it, but emotionally I'm not feeling it yknow? And this was probably the greatest flaw of the film. Don't get me started on the random high school girl that sort of became her sidekick lol.

Cinematography and music wise it seemed like the director wanted to emulate the western style of thrillers, which I can't say is necessarily a bad thing (I personally quite liked it, particularly the music) but others may disagree. The ballet parts were quite well shot and kind of reminded me of Black Swan. I was hoping to see more ballet scenes, since this movie is called ballerina after all but unfortunately not. In fact, when I first saw this movie I expected it to be about an ex-ballerina turned assassin but in actuality the only association to ballet is the main character avenging her friend who just happens to be a ballerina. Strange name choice...

In conclusion, only watch if you just want a mind-numbing thriller to pass time. This movie is utterly forgettable and you won't remember (or want to remember) any of it. Just one of the many B-list thriller movies that Netflix pumps out. A better female centric thriller would be My Name, which has way better fighting scenes, better acting and a slightly more fleshed out plot. I'm only giving this a 6.5 because it's only 1.5 hrs long and I was fairly entertained by it lmao

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Make sure to shut your brain off before watching!

To watch this movie you must turn off your brain! The lack of logic in the plot made it hard to immerse myself in the film. Combine that with the lack of character depth given to the MC and you have a dropped film.

I was looking forward to this movie when I first saw the trailer but then forgot about it since I haven't been watching Netflix much recently. I go on Netflix looking for something fun to watch, remember this film, and saw it had finally been released so I started watching. I love revenge plots, regardless of the sex of the MC that is getting revenge. This film fell short in so many ways and I only got through less than 40 minutes of it. My gripes in no particular order:

Camera Work: They tried wayyyy too hard to be artsy + unique. The shots and angles did nothing to enhance the story.

Acting: Was not bad, I only got through 38 minutes so I can't give a well-founded opinion on their acting. I think the actors did the best they could with lackluster writing.

Music/OST: It was so terrible. Did not match anything that was going on.

Writing: You really need to turn off your brain to enjoy this. The story and character motivations made no sense. Based on the bit that I watched I do not believe the friendship between the two girls was deep enough for the MC to do all she did. After not talking to your friend in a while, they call you up and ask you to come over. You get there and find a note, allegedly from them, asking you to get revenge for them. Then you see they unalived themselves in the bathroom. Maybe if they had made them romantically involved, or even made it clear that the MC held an unrequited affection for her friend it would have made more sense for the MC to carry out the ballerina's last wishes. But that wouldn't explain the ballerina's illogical actions or the fact that the MC went through all these things for some estranged friend. Maybe if they did more to showcase the dependency the MC had on the ballerina it would have been better because MC being emotionally dependent on her would explain her dedication but then again it doesn't look like they have been friends for that long.

If they had made the MC obsessed with the Ballerina that would have brought a lot of depth to the story and made it much more interesting. MC would have been obsessed/in love with the Ballerina but satisfied/content with the scraps of attention/affection the Ballerina gave her regardless of how infrequent they may have been but then finds that the Ballerina unalived herself because of that guy. That would have made a very compelling story and although disturbing, anything the MC did after that would not need any explanation because of the obsession. As it stands I just can't believe she would do all that. Like she could end up in prison for killing all these people, even if they are criminals, so why does she not weigh the consequences? She's smart enough to be a bodyguard for foreign officials but acts so impulsively, too unrealistic.

Also, why did that guy feel the need to drug women when they had already agreed to sleep with him since they went to the hotel consensually? Maybe I missed it since I didn't finish the film and they kidnapped women from the club as well as there being girls that happily went. Like even though it may be rare, there are women into CNC who would happily play along with that guy's fantasies. Especially since he is attractive. Again I could have missed later explanations but if he does that to satisfy his desires it doesn't make sense to do it illegally when you could have willing participants. I get that he's a drug dealer and he does other illegal things with people but to be this crazy serial rapist who can get women to go to a hotel with him willingly only to drug them when they are already there just makes no sense. Maybe he's had bad experiences after he convinces a woman to go with him then she runs away after finding out he's into BDSM so he started drugging them... I don't know.

Maybe I am so disappointed because I went in with high expectations? I usually have a good time watching Korean movies and they are really good at revenge storylines so I definitely had my hopes up. Anyways, now I have to find something else to watch...

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