Film Review: PRETTY LETHAL (2026): In This Fun Action Film, Uma Thurman and Some Goons Face Off Against Determined Ballerinas
Pretty Lethal Review
Pretty Lethal (2026) Film Review, a movie directed by Vicky Jewson, written by Kate Freund and starring Maddie Ziegler, Uma Thurman, Lana Condor, Lydia Leonard, Avantika, Millicent Simmonds, Iris Apatow, Julian Krenn, Miklós Béres, Adam Boncz, Krisztián Csákvári and Kate Freund.
In Vicky Jewson’s humorously intense action picture, Pretty Lethal, a group of ballerinas are pitted against some shady mobsters. While the young ladies featured in the picture are playing determined characters, this new picture is a bit too over-the-top at times. Yet at the same time, this film is still easy to enjoy thanks to its sheer entertainment value. Jewson amps up the action with Maddie Ziegler playing one of her most enjoyable characters to date here.
Ziegler plays the ambitious Bones who loves what she does when she dances, but has a hard time with her co-dancer, the aptly named Princess (the energetic Lana Condor). As these two young ladies face off at the beginning during their rehearsals, little does one know this pair will have to join forces to escape some vicious characters at a hideaway inn, headed by characters who include Devora Kasimer (Uma Thurman), a woman who had ballerina aspirations of her own, but was unjustly injured.
It all starts when a group of ballerinas is going to a competition on a bus and their transportation breaks down in the middle of nowhere. These ladies end up going to an inn to seek shelter from the rain, but soon, they will be fighting for their lives in innovative ways in order to get to their dance performance at any cost possible.
This film employs some solid stars as the ballerinas. Avantika of the Mean Girls remake plays Grace who gives off vibes from her star-making role in the remake from a couple of years back. Avantika doesn’t get used to full advantage here, but her mannerisms are enjoyable and keep the movie rolling along. Millicent Simmonds of A Quiet Place ably portrays the deaf Chloe who uses her wits to survive even when she can’t hear what’s going on around her. Iris Apatow is fine as the determined Zoe who isn’t afraid of protecting her friends when the situation calls for it.
Sadly, the ballerinas’ female teacher (Lydia Leonard) is killed, and the girls must plan their escape from the inn and execute their revenge strategies as the mobsters come after them with a vengeance. There’s only one way out for the dancers and that’s to use their skills lethally to overcome their foes by dancing their way out of trouble. This makes for some ballerina scenes that could remind one of Black Swan except that they’re much more goofball in a way that fits the plot of this particular movie.
Thurman steals the show when she can in the scenes where she plays her character up a level or two. Thurman portrays a woman with angst over not getting to have the dancing career she wanted. At a key moment in the film, she could have been shot down like all the other goons, but Bones’ gun had no bullets when she confronted Thurman’s character. This means there will be a true face/off between Thurman and the girls as well as the head mafia goons and audiences should enjoy the chaotic results. Kill Bill fans, take note.
Ziegler and Condor are the most valuable players here when Thurman isn’t hamming it up to be in the spotlight. Ziegler is a movie star in the making with her electric turn here. She gives her character a likability factor that makes the audience root for her and her friends. If Ziegler’s character is protecting the girls she associates with, the viewer knows to stick by her because of the integrity the actress projects on-screen. That’s because Ziegler is truly commanding in this part, coming up with one of the best turns of her career so far. Condor and Ziegler’s roles are built up so that they will join forces and that they do in Pretty Lethal.
This movie exists for its action scenes which are well-orchestrated with appropriate songs like “Rhythm is a Dancer” cleverly incorporated into the mix. This film is ultimately about overcoming the odds and using the skills one possesses to work with other similarly minded individuals as a team to fight against those who threaten to get in the way of one’s dreams and aspirations. It’s a good message told with tremendous style, if not a lot of sophistication. These girls are basically just here to kick ass and that they do in the fun and wild Pretty Lethal, an action film which will build a strong following in the not-too-distant future.
Rating: 7/10
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