Pretty Lethal: Movie Review

Cast: Uma Thurman, Lana Condor, Maddie Ziegler, Millicent Simmonds, Iris Apatow
Director: Vicky Jewson

Sometimes, all a film needs is a killer hook and a simple premise.

The idea of a group of ballerinas forced to fight for their lives in a hotel surrounded by gangsters is one such killer hook, but Pretty Lethal's relative inability to build on this - despite an 82 minute execution -leaves it somewhat floundering.

With action choreographed by unit 87 North, who are known for their work on JohnWick and The Continental TV series, you'd expect something slick and breathtaking - almost balletic given its subject matter.

But while Pretty Lethal does manage to deliver some impressive beatdown moments, its propensity for lack of originality means there's a creeping indifference as it plays out.

When a group of bickering ballerinas' car breaks down en route to a competition in Hungary, they're forced to seek solace in a local tavern run by Uma Thurman's prowling owner. However, after their handler is shockingly executed by mistake in front of them, the group finds themselves in a desperate battle for survival with only their wits and prowess to rely on.

Mixing Hostel, Abigail and also John Wick: The Continental, Pretty Lethal isn't shy in embracing its predecessors, nor does it believe in holding back the action. Yet in between bursts of brutality, there's scant little in this that really ramps up any tension - and even Uma Thurman's character embraces the camp as a former dancer whose leg was destroyed by a gangster, who's she held a grudge against for years.

The end result is that Pretty Lethal is anything but en pointe as it hurtles towards its denouement. As the dancers pirhouette around supposedly seasoned gangsters, they're underestimated fodder as the group's rife for a working together message that can be seen coming a mile off.

Consequently, Pretty Lethal is pretty disappointing in its unoriginality and pretty frustrating, given it looked like it had a shot at doing something different.