“Ballerina” review — South Korean revenge actioner is fierce and fearless

★★★★☆ Jeon Jong-seo hunts dangerous sex criminals in impressive Netflix “original”.

Revenge is a dish that is best served sweet in Ballerina, an impressive, candy-hued South Korean action thriller now streaming on Netflix.

The plot concerns Jang Ok-ju (Jeon Jong-seo), a former security worker whose “particular set of skills” betrays her disarmingly innocent appearance. Think Liam Neeson from Taken with a fresh-faced K-pop facade. Ok-ju is forced to put her deadly skills to good use when she discovers her ballerina best friend Choi Min-hee (Park Yu-rim) dead in her apartment, a suicide note tasking Ok-ju to avenge her untimely death.

Ok-ju’s investigation quickly puts her in contact with Choi Pro (Kim Ji-hoon), a mid-level member of a brutal sex traffic operation. Taking advantage of his twisted sexual fetishes Ok-ju springs a trap, beating and gruesomely disfiguring the handsome gangster following a violent struggle.

Now in the crosshairs of a revenge-obsessed Choi Pro and the rest of the mob, Ok-ju must survive the organisation’s terrible onslaught, all the while preparing herself to take them out once and for all.

Ballerina won’t win any awards for originality, but visually it’s a blood-soaked treat. The film wears its influences with pride, clearly taking cues from John Woo’s legendary run of nineties action classics, as well as modern genre fare like John Wick — a series that, coincidentally, is set to release a spin-off with the exact same title in 2024.

The action comes thick and fast with director Lee Chung-hyun (The Call) audacious in his capture of not only the film’s ferociously bone-crunching fight sequences but also the quieter moments — saturated and soulful flashbacks that serve to fill in the narrative gaps and fuel the protagonist’s relentless struggle for justice. This is a gorgeous-looking movie, delivered with real confidence.

The usual action movie pitfalls are obvious, however. The film is let down somewhat by moments of clunky exposition, usually as tropey gangsters speak in cliches about the mechanics of their own crime ring. There is also a short but noticeable lull where the film loses focus towards the end of its second act. Stick with it though, because the squib-splatterfest finale will more than atone.

Following a long string of mostly rubbish Netflix “original” movies I’d sworn off watching any more. I’m glad I ignored my own rule here. Ballerina is a fast and furious revenge movie whose brutality is more than matched with moments of unexpected beauty. Another excellent import from East Asia, this is a stylish dance of death that is well worth a whirl.