Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: PRETTY LETHAL [SXSW Film - Austin, Texas]

"Pretty Lethal" has an intriguing idea at its core, likely burgeoned by last year's "Ballerina" starring Ana de Armas. The essence of that film's connected mythology however gave that film legs to stand on even though it failed at the box office. Here "Pretty Lethal" [Headliner] uses the constrained aspect of that mindset of dancers and puts them physically in a closed space with one character throttling with something to prove and just needing a trigger. Even though this is a 5-hander at times per se, it is really Maggie Ziegler as Bones that pushes the story. The screenplay tries to create the identifiable parts of each ballerina so when it comes time to shine, they all become part of one but Ziegler, in her own, poise is a force of nature, even when gets hurt. The set up has the girls going to an international competition with their chaperone in Eastern Europe when a broken down bus leads them to a hotel hidden in the woods. It is obviously a place for nefarious dealings. While matriarch Devora (Uma Thurman sporting her most devilish accent) seems to be in charge of the muscle there, she bends knee to Pascha (Tamás Szabó Sipos) who seems to run everything (actually his father does) but is still an immature man with guns who makes stupid mistake after stupid mistake because of his ego. His folly starts off a fuselage of problems which Devora has to fix grudgingly. Like "The Princess" on Hulu but with five ballerinas, it becomes about how each of the girls finds a certain identity and they work through the hotel. That said, the progressive choreography of "The Princess" was better. One of the ballerinas is even called Princess and she has to learn to let go of her ego and work with her fellow dancers. There are two sisters, one deaf, the other trying to protect her, even though the deaf one is boy crazy in a way at the wrong time. The way that works plays out nicely if not expected.

Avantika as Grace, another dancer, has the most fun since director Vicky Jewson is able to play with ideas of perception when the proverbial actually hits the fan. The believability of the situation beyond the fun aspect of it (and the bloodletting) has to be suspended quite a bit though. Ziegler gets the best of it simply because she has the most presence and completely gets the tone (like Thurman did in "Kill Bill"). There is obviously that ode here as well and one cannot help but think of The Bride when Thurman is sitting at the bar. It is great to see Thurman in bad ass form even though it is a homage mostly. However as the movie follows through to its end, the resolution and bite of the character of Devora does not come off as cinematic or satisfying in a character sense as it should. It makes sense in the context of the concept but feels empty in its evolution and delivery even though that was likely the plan all along. The final fight scene is meant to show togetherness and it does but again it comes off very unbelievable even in its choreography. That said, the more black comedy, tongue-in- cheek elements, such as Devora and the Doctor play quite well as well as a close quarter combat scene with the girls, specifically Bones, and two henchman send to take them down in what seems like catacombs. But the impetus for the other girls' rage, even though it fuels a blood-soaked performance, just doesn't resonate as much in the end as it should because of its suspension of disbelief. "Pretty Lethal" is pretty decent but doesn't move the needle as much as it likely wanted or needed to, even though it is a fun romp of sorts. B-

By Tim Wassberg