Written by: Kate Freund
Starring: Iris Apatow, Lana Condor, Millicent Simmonds, Avantika, Maddie Ziegler, Uma Thurman
Rating: [2.5/5]
Even when dedicating time to a specific discipline, one naturally accrues transferable skills that can assist in other areas. I utilized transferable skills to change from one career field to another, but in Pretty Lethal we learn that skills in ballet inevitably help in killing people trying to murder you. A fun idea but one that ultimately fails to impress and make itself anything other than forgettable.
On their way to Budapest for a performance, a troupe of ballerinas have some travel issues that leave them stranded and in need of local assistance to get them on their way. This leads them to an inn filled with precarious individuals where the hospitality shifts to open hostility.
Often attached to delicacy, the idea of young ballerinas defending themselves against a hotel full of Hungarian henchmen seems like a losing battle. One where they would not stand a chance, but Pretty Lethal has a different perspective. Not only do these girls carry the desire to survive, but they also utilize their abilities to their advantage in order to live another day. This occurs in humorous but also ridiculous ways as the narrative progresses, and while it can provide some fun in the moment, it does not come together to display some good quality.
Within this troupe we have some rivalries, as Bones (Maddie Ziegler) has the rawest talent but does not have the support and upbringing of Princess (Lana Condor). This creates tension between them and presents the danger of derailing their entire performance given how much cohesion plays a role in their line of work. In addition to this pair, we have Zoe (Iris Apatow) and her sister Chloe (Millicent Simmonds), who happens to be deaf, as well as deeply religious Grace (Avantika) rounding out the ballerinas. Each of them adds their own flair into the group, and each plays their part in their quest to survive this entire endeavor.
In what starts as perhaps some genuine and innocent hospitality, we have this inn run by Devora, played by Uma Thurman putting on her very best Eastern European accent, who also applied her trade as a ballerina before having that taken away from her by circumstances revealed later in the film. The more we learn about Devora and the other characters in this inn, the more we see the level of danger these ballerinas have found themselves in and must unite more than ever if they wish to make it out of this predicament.
Violence inevitably plays a major role in this film, where it begins in such an abrupt manner to set the stage and then completely goes off the rails. We have ballerinas taping blades to their shoes and swinging their legs around to cause maximum damage. Certainly a large degree of ridiculousness here but it’s part of the fun the film seeks to elicit through its concept. Usually a film like this would garner more admiration from me but nothing about it ever excelled or stood out in a way that did not immediately go in one ear and out the other.
One thing this film does have going for it is assembling together a squad of young actors that have all made a name for themselves in other projects and do a pretty good job here. Maddie Ziegler, in particular, initially rose the ranks as a literal dancer on “Dance Moms,” but she has proven her acting chops, namely in The Fallout and she succeeds yet again. It’s always good to see Lana Condor in roles, and in this instance, instead of portraying a lovable lead, she portrays a rival to Bones as this spoiled and entitled person who believes she should hold the lead role. All of these young women then must contend with Uma Thurman, who certainly had fun in this role, even if the character left much to be desired.
Lacking any real substance, Pretty Lethal presents itself as a quick and easy fun time, presenting an unlikely circumstance. It’s not often that an American ballerina troupe find themselves stranded in rural Hungary and housed by an inn filled with gangsters who seek to kill them. This film, at the very least, provides us a good “what if” of a circumstance we could never dream of, but unfortunately, we do not get a good film here.
Films with Josh 
