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Ballerina
발레리나
2023 93 min South Korea R 18+
★7.0
Action, Thriller
Director: Chung-Hyun Lee
Trailers
EN
Teaser
Teaser
EN
Description
Grieving the loss of a best friend she couldn't protect, an ex-bodyguard sets out to fulfill her dear friend's last wish: sweet revenge.
Starring
Jeon Jong-seo
Actor
Kim Ji-hoon
Actor
Park Yu-rim
Actor
Awards
2 nominations total
Key opinion
Ballerina is a visually striking, stylish revenge thriller that excels in its technical craft and lead performance. While it succeeds as an atmospheric piece of genre cinema, it is held back by a thin narrative and underdeveloped character motivations.
| Acting | Chon Jong-so delivers a compelling, nuanced performance that conveys profound intensity through minimal dialogue. | |
| Cinematography | The film features striking, neon-saturated cinematography that effectively utilizes color to distinguish between its gritty reality and emotional flashbacks. | |
| Editing | The editing creates a rhythmic, cohesive synergy between the film's pulse-pounding score and its action sequences. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is widely considered the film's weakest element, suffering from underdeveloped motivations and an absence of a compelling investigative thread. | |
| Pacing | Views on the narrative flow are divided: some appreciate the deliberate, atmospheric build-up, while others find the reliance on excessive flashbacks to be stalling and tedious. |