"Pretty Lethal" Review: Ballet Meets Brutality in Scrappy Action Thriller

Director Vicky Jewson’s film “Pretty Lethal”, written by Kate Freund and produced by Amazon MGM Studios, plays like a high-concept B-movie that knows its strengths, even if it stumbles at times. Lean, fast-paced, and unapologetically pulpy, this isn’t a prestige film; it embraces controlled chaos with just enough style to keep it interesting.

The plot is straightforward. Bones (Maddie Ziegler), Princess (Lana Condor), Zoe (Iris Apatow), Chloe (Millicent Simmonds), and Grace (Avantika) are members of a fractured ballet troupe whose tour comes to a halt when their bus breaks down. Stranded and unwilling to wait for help, they set out on foot and arrive at a secluded inn run by Devora (Uma Thurman), a former ballerina who possesses a quiet intensity.

What initially seems like good fortune quickly turns dangerous when the group realizes that the inn is connected to a violent criminal operation. After witnessing a murder, their struggle for survival becomes the only performance that matters.

At under 90 minutes, “Pretty Lethal” wastes no time getting started, but its early sections feel uneven. The opening heavily invokes a grimy, almost grindhouse-style menace, introducing its villains with a tone that contrasts with the film’s eventual direction. The initial scenes carry a rough, confrontational edge that doesn’t quite mesh with the slicker action that emerges in the second half.

This inconsistency also affects the characters. Aside from Ziegler’s Bones, the ensemble is depicted in broad strokes, which can hinder viewer investment. The dialogue sometimes feels forced, leaning into exaggerated personalities that do not always resonate. For a time, the film struggles to provide a compelling reason to care about its characters.

However, things change once Jewson fully commits to the film’s central hook: ballet as a form of combat. The energy shifts as the choreography tightens, the pacing sharpens, and the film finally establishes its identity. While there are clear influences from the “John Wick” series, especially its “Ballerina” offshoot, “Pretty Lethal” carves out its own space by emphasizing the physicality of its performers. In this context, movement becomes a form of weaponry, enhancing the action.

The final act doesn’t erase the film’s earlier flaws, but it reframes them. Characteristics that initially felt thin begin to function as setup, and personalities that were once grating start to contribute to the action’s rhythm, providing the film with a strange but effective momentum. It’s less about depth and more about commitment—and to its credit, the film goes all in.

Condor and Avantika are not given enough to balance Ziegler’s grounded performance fully, and the ballet theme never evolves beyond a clever concept. Yet “Pretty Lethal” isn’t chasing complexity; it’s focused on delivering impact.

By the time the film hits its stride, it delivers just enough impact. Messy and uneven, but undeniably watchable, *Pretty Lethal* may not stick every landing, but it knows how to finish strong.

Final Grade: B-

"Pretty Lethal" is available to stream on Prime Video now.