South Korean Netflix film “Ballerina”, which was released several months ago, is an intense action thriller film which distinguishes itself to some degree. While it lacks substance in terms of story and character, that weak aspect is compensated at times by its bold visual style mixed with several brutal and intense action scenes, and it is also constantly driven by the sheer presence and talent of one of the most talented actresses working in South Korea at present. 

Jeon Jong-seo, who has steadily impressed us more since her crucial supporting role in Lee Chang-dong’s “Burning” (2018), plays Ok-ju, a young woman with a particular set of skills as shown from the opening scene. Although the movie does not tell us that much about her former job, it seems that she once worked as a bodyguard for VIP clients here and there, and she recently quit the job for some unspecified reason.

While she lives alone in her apartment, Ok-ju has a person who becomes quite important to her after their accidental encounter. When she comes across Min-hee (Park Yu-rim) at a little local bakery, she does not recognize Min-hee at first, but Min-hee instantly recognizes Ok-ju as an old school friend of hers, and it does not take much time for them to get closer to each other again as they come to spend more time with each other. Ok-ju feels a bit happier with Min-hee, and Min-hee willingly responds to Ok-ju with equal affection, though the movie does not specify whether they actually feel more than mere friendship.

On one day, Ok-ju receives a call from Min-hee, who suggests that they should have another drinking night at Min-hee’s residence. When Ok-ju later comes to Min-hee’s residence, she is baffled by the empty silence surrounding the place, and then she discovers something quite shocking. After leaving a private note to her friend, Min-hee killed herself while wearing her ballet outfit, and Ok-ju is naturally devastated by this sudden unexpected incident. 

On her note to Ok-ju, Min-hee requests Ok-ju to do something as a woman with a particular set of skills, though she only left one small clue to why she committed suicide. Based on that small clue in question, Ok-ju soon comes to learn more about what drove her best friend to such a tragic outcome like that. It turns out that Min-hee happened to be associated with a vile criminal who has sexually exploited not only Min-hee but also many different women for money and pleasure, and Ok-ju becomes more determined to revenge her friend as getting to know more about this deplorable guy’s criminal business.  

As our tough heroine delves into the seedy underworld of her main target and his several criminal associates, director/writer Lee Chung-hyun, who previously collaborated with Jeon in Netflix film “The Call” (2020), fills the screen with stylish visual touches as colorful as Emerald Fennell’s “Promising Young Woman” (2020), which is also about a young woman determined to get the revenge for her dead best friend by any means necessary. The artificial qualities of these visual touches surely make a striking contrast with a series of gritty and bloody action scenes in the film, and you may wince from time to time during some of the most violent moments in the film.

The movie takes a more familiar narrative route as its heroine gets rid of one bay guy after another along the story, and it surely gets more exiting as expected, but the movie does not pay much attention to character development on the whole. Yes, it is refreshing to some degree to see a female character going all the way for action just like many male characters did in countless action flicks for many years, and we certainly need to see more of that even at present, but, to my little disappointment, the movie does not bring enough detail and personality to its heroine. Even at the end of the story, we do not get to know that much about her, and that is the main reason why we observe her actions from the distance at times.

Anyway, Jeon diligently carries the film to the end while wonderfully demonstrating another side of her versatile talent. In “Burning”, she filled her rather thankless role with enough life and personality. In “The Call”, “Nothing Serious” (2021), and “Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon” (2021), she effortlessly moved from one different genre film to another to our delight, and “Ballerina” is certainly another example of that. Besides willingly throwing herself into many different action scenes along the film, she imbues her archetype character with considerable intensity, and the movie is effective whenever she wields her commanding presence across the screen.   

In contrast, many of other main cast members of the film are rather under-utilized. While Kim Ji-hoon is effectively loathsome as required by his villain character, Park Yu-rim manages to leave some impression as Ok-ju’s ill-fated best friend, Shin Se-hwi unfortunately does not have much to do as another crucial female supporting character in the story.        

In conclusion, “Ballerina”, which should not be confused with upcoming Hollywood action film “Ballerina” (2024), is relatively dissatisfying compared to what Lee and Jeon achieved in “The Call”, but it is not entirely boring thanks to Lee’s competent direction and Lee’s admirable professional commitment. In short, this is another average Netflix product, but I think you may enjoy it if you happen to have a spare time to kill.