Most children grow up hearing from authority figures that there are rules in life, and following them will lead to happiness and success. But when young people witness something happen that completely contradicts that notion, they may have to learn that sometimes two wrongs do equal a right. Or, in the case of Pretty Lethal, it’s the only way to survive, and confronting bad people requires doing whatever it takes since sitting back and doing nothing means you’re dead. Kicking ass while executing a flawless ballet routine also does help make a point.
Bones (Maddie Ziegler), Princess (Lana Condor), Grace (Avantika), Zoe (Iris Apatow), and Grace (Millicent Simonds) board a plane bound for Budapest with their teacher (Lydia Leonard) to perform in a prestigious ballet showcase. When their flight gets rerouted and their bus breaks down in the middle of nowhere, they stumble upon the Teremok Inn, run by the ruthless Devora (Uma Thurman). They soon realize that there’s very good reason for them to be afraid, and making it to their competition is the least of their worries given how likely it is that they’ll never make it out of this inn filled with seedy, bloodthirsty men determined not to let them leave.
Pretty Lethal is the fourth film from director Vicky Jewson, with a screenplay by Kate Freund, herself a former ballerina who always wanted to write a female-driven action movie and utilized memories of the many weapons she and her fellow ballerinas carried as a way to put together this inventive script. Thurman, who noted that she will soon mark her fortieth acting anniversary, had nothing but great praise to share for the fact that this film, one which she would have enjoyed seeing and being part of much earlier in her career, has now been made and can pave the way for similar woman-centered action films in the future.
This isn’t meant to be the kind of film that makes complete sense or stands up to any sort of logical scrutiny, but it does find tremendous fun in turning the perception of ballerinas as weak and fragile creatures on its head, showing how, especially when they’re cornered and have no discernable way out, they can use their carefully-honed talents to exceptional effect. That makes all their hand-to-hand (or, more accurately, leg-to-leg) combat victories all the more exciting, since their mostly male opponents consistently underestimate them and couldn’t even imagine them fighting back.
While its shift from petty squabbling between team members, particularly Bones and Princess, to run-for-your-lives fright is foreshadowed by an ominous line uttered by the bus driver as he watches them watch into the distance, this film’s catalytic moment is still pretty sudden and jarring. From there, it’s a mix of high-intensity fighting and slower scenes in which these young women try to motivate each other to keep on going, with a decent amount of bickering thrown in for good measure. The conversations between the ballerinas are indeed funny and worthwhile, but this film shines best when its heroines spring into action.
The five actresses portraying ballerinas, each at a positive point in their careers, bring their all to these parts, learning their dance and stunt moves and infusing just the right degree of personality. Thurman is having fun chewing scenery, but she’s just along to be part of the ride. The choreography is superb and enhances the film’s performances and action scenes, which make up for some of the overarching story shortcomings that aren’t really critical to the overall enjoyment of this film. Though it’s headed straight to streaming, this film is perfect for SXSW, best experienced with a cheering audience ready to see some talented ballerinas show the world what they can do.
Movie Rating: 7/10
