‘Pretty Lethal’: Not Quite ‘John Wick,’ But Something Just As Fun [SXSW REVIEW]
3.5/5 pliés
Many have attempted. Few have succeeded. What Pretty Lethal gives us is an absolute badass female film by women for women that takes your expectations, wads them up, and throws them in the trash. It’s a perfect SXSW film in that it is wild, ambitious, and unapologetically fun.
Following a group of girls on a trip to Budapest for a recital, Pretty Lethal confronts the age old question: If your bus breaks down, is it a bad idea to go to the nearest lodge for help? For these girls, the answer is yes. When they find themselves stranded in the remote wilderness, they don’t have much choice. They find an inn not too far from them, and it is the obvious–and only–choice for shelter and safety.
The moment they step inside, however, it is clear that something is not right. But it’s the kind of right that you can’t quite put your finger on, where you feel it in your gut. The Teremok Inn is owned by ballerina-turned-crime boss Devora (Uma Thurman). The men at the inn are all working for her, and they are not too pleased to have outsiders infiltrating their space.
Step aside, Black Swan, there’s a new kind of ballerina violence
Pretty Lethal is a whirlwind of bloody violence. You may have never thought before about how deadly a ballerina could be, but after you see this movie you certainly will. It takes a lot of strength to stand on your toes, after all. Every fight is choreographed to put the ballerinas at advantage, highlighting their deadliness. Being a ballerina takes a lot of dedication most people don’t realize, and the girls are underestimated until they finally need to defend themselves.
There is a conversation to be had here about the strength of women, and perhaps it’s obvious. Really, it should be. These are all girls who are faced with men twice their size who would be willing to harm them at a moment’s notice. It takes a lot to stand up in that situation, especially when the odds would be against you. Not to mention that these girls deal with pain on a regular basis due to their brutal vocation.
Debut feature filmmaker Vicky Jewson brings this story to life from a screenplay by Kate Freund. The cast of ballerinas she assembles is charming, though not entirely unassuming. Maddie Ziegler shines as Bones, the lead ballerina who’s a little rough at the edges but no less talented. There is of course the spoiled and aptly-named Princess (Lana Condor), who is always at odds with Bones. The rest of the troupe consists of Christian girl Grace (Avantika) and sisters Chloe (A Quiet Place‘s Millicent Simmonds) and Zoe (Iris Apatow).
Thurman is as commanding a presence as ever. Though her role is small her time in the film is anything but. She has always had a knack for stealing a scene with ease, and Devora is quietly terrifying in ways her henchmen are not. Arguably, that’s the scarier kind of violence, and shows the difference between what most men and women find intimidating.
Come for the relevés, stay for the comedy and crime boss violence
The rich, deep-hued production design, combined with cinematographer’s Bridger Nielson’s shots, are what invokes the ghost of John Wick. It’s the sort of gritty, lowly-lit violent film that feels absurd, but not overly so. The plot itself is not very heavy, but the action does most of the heavy lifting. It is incredibly entertaining, and once the action picks up it never really slows back down. One thing remains true: Never think a ballerina is willing to back down.
(Featured image: Prime Video)
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