The action thriller Pretty Lethal, written by Kate Freund and directed by Vicky Jewson, with its exhibition of nimble, blood-soaked limbs and copious gore, suggests that it is not easy to be a ballerina. Given the timing of its release, one might be tempted to crack a Timothée Chalamet joke, but the bigger joke is played on viewers by the film itself, which subjects them to an algorithmically designed piece of content masquerading as action cinema. Pretty Lethal will remind many of the Kill Bill films, thanks to the presence of Uma Thurman, who in Quentin Tarantino's film sliced through enemies with a razor-sharp katana. Nearly 20 years later, the one-woman-army formula has been repackaged as a group performance, with weapons ranging from a toe blade to a shotgun. As far as Thurman is concerned, she looks very, very tired, as though she would rather be hugging her bed than posing for this ballerina show. And yes, all those ballerinas might remind you of... Ballerina. That Len Wiseman action thriller is undoubtedly superior to Pretty Lethal.
What makes Jewson's effort forgettable are the bland characters at the center—as well as everywhere else. The ballerinas are nothing to write home about. Lana Condor steps into the shoes of Princess, who lives up to her name by always demanding "princess treatment." She prefers solo performances over duets, and riding a bus is, for her, like sitting in hell. Princess and Bones are constantly at odds with each other. Chloe (Millicent Simmonds) is deaf, Zoe (Iris Apatow) is Chloe's sister, and Grace (Avantika) is a firm believer in God who, when high, speaks in verses. Lydia Leonard, as Thorna, plays the teacher of these ballerinas, but she doesn't stay for long. Thurman's Devora, on the other hand, is one of the villains who remains till the climax but does not linger in the memory. The other bad guys—all men—are generic creeps whose sole purpose is to be beaten up by the girls. Yayy! You go, girl! Go far away from this bloodstained bilge and save yourself.
There is one amusing scene where the ballerinas deftly compress their bodies and hide in cramped kitchen spaces. Grace's intoxicated perspective also hints at an alternative tongue-in-cheek comedy thriller with warped imagery. Pretty Lethal, however, does not explore any of these corners deeply enough to distinguish itself. Instead, it remains plain, sincere, and mildly ridiculous. Is the movie celebrating ballerinas? I do not think this fluff should be viewed on these terms. In fact, Pretty Lethal is not so different from Black Swan in that both films place such emphasis on physical and mental pain that, during the end credits, you begin to wonder why anyone would still choose to be a ballet dancer. The movies essentially become anti-recruitment posters—or perhaps they call out to those individuals who can bear and even revel in the suffering demanded by this artistic discipline. Do you smile when you pull out your broken nails? Can you walk properly even after your toes are stabbed with a blade? Does the physical injury you might sustain in a fight pale in comparison to the ache endured every day while training to be a ballet dancer? Yes? Congratulations! You might just be suited to becoming a professional ballerina.
Final Score- [3.5/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
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Publisher at Midgard Times