Pretty Lethal 2026 Movie Review Trailer

 In a world where the ballet community has felt deeply offended by an Oscar-nominated actor—and where, instead of seeing artists celebrating other artists, we are bombarded with meme after meme—it seems we have yet to find any respite from the damage already inflicted. Somehow, days after this debacle, I find myself with the opportunity to witness the collision of these two worlds—cinema and ballet—in a thriller starring ballet dancers; a story about five dazzling young women who get entangled in a mess when they travel to Budapest to perform in the most prestigious ballet showcase. 

From what I’ve heard, *Pretty Lethal* is the kind of movie I would devour in a matter of seconds; it is exactly the sort of film I would love to watch with my friends. However—*sigh*—this movie has turned out to be the most disappointing thing I’ve seen so far this year. Perhaps this is due to the high expectations I had built up, especially upon seeing these young women in the cast—performers I have admired since they first began their careers in the industry. Coincidentally, within the very same week—specifically the week marking the start of spring—two films featuring absolute female leads are being released, both falling within the horror and thriller genres.

Director: Vicky Jewson
Writer: Kate Freund
Stars: Maddie Ziegler, Lana Condor, Lydia Leonard

Nevertheless, before delving into the negatives, I would like to begin by highlighting a few positive aspects of the film. For starters, the most entertaining moments are, without a doubt, those dedicated to ballet. It gives the impression that all the actresses—with the exception of Maddie Ziegler, whom we already know to be a professional ballet dancer—have made at least some effort to achieve the necessary verisimilitude and appear capable of executing a perfect *développé*; and that, in my opinion, is something worthy of applause in itself. 

Given that this is a film centered on ballet dancers, we find a healthy dose of skill and audacity on the part of the protagonists, especially once the action kicks off; But I don't want to give away any *spoilers*, so I’ll leave it at that. Another point in its favor is the cast, which—honestly—strikes me as a solid choice; moreover, the actresses share a charming chemistry with one another—even with Uma Thurman, who looks almost unrecognizable in this film. 

I cannot deny that, at its core, the movie possesses a strong concept; in fact, that is precisely what piqued my interest so much. It is a work created by women and, clearly, aimed at a female audience; however, I believe that somewhere along the way, it became too obsessed with the idea of ​​being "different"—to the point of sacrificing the most important thing: simply being a good movie. The film tries very hard to avoid clichés; for instance, the brunette—played by the dazzling Avantika (though the character reminded me a lot of her portrayal of Karen in *Mean Girls*)—is named Grace and is obsessed with Jesus. 

On the other hand, Lana Condor’s character—named Princess—follows the *London Tipton* archetype: a spoiled rich girl, though I suppose without the "being smart" part. There is also a deaf ballet dancer, played by Millicent Simmonds (*A Quiet Place*), and it is a true pleasure to watch her perform. Iris Apatow plays her older sister, and they truly manage to convey the sense that they are real-life siblings. Finally, there is Maddie, who radiates that energy typical of a lead protagonist. She is what one might call the group's scholarship student. They call her Bones, and she is the "poor" student who is convinced that ballet isn't for her—that it is an art form reserved for spoiled rich girls like Princess.

 Bones and Princess are rivals for obvious reasons, though I suspect this functions more as a simple narrative device than as something the film intends to explore in any depth. And that is, precisely, the feeling *Pretty Lethal* left me with regarding the whole experience. In reality, we don't witness any genuine character development; everything feels rather superficial. 

Sure, some things do change; There is a certain kind of growth, but it is the sort of evolution that even a 10-year-old could come up with. Even so, if you feel like watching some ballet dancers kick some ass, you can watch this movie while doing other things (what is known as "second-screen viewing"). But that is really all it offers: there is nothing you need to pay special attention to—no sinister cult, no great secret; everything is too literal and simplistic, even the choreography of the action scenes.

I think that if the villains had turned out to be even remotely interesting, or had possessed some depth, the movie would have been much more engaging. Unfortunately, what we get for the most part are generic Eastern European gangsters—the "bargain-bin" variety. 

Watch Pretty Lethal 2026 Movie Trailer