Pretty Lethal review: five ballerinas fight for survival

From writer Kate Freund and director Vicky Jewson, Pretty Lethal opens with a striking image: ballerinas who keep dancing even as bones crunch and blood stains their shoes. The film quickly establishes a mix of beauty and brutality that could give noted ballet skeptic Timothée Chalamet cold sweats.

The story follows five American dancers headed to a Budapest competition—Bones (Maddie Ziegler), Princess (Lara Condor), sisters Chloe (Millicent Simmonds) and Zoe (Iris Apatow), and Grace (Avantika). When their bus breaks down they seek help at the Teremok Inn, owned by former ballerina Devora Kasimer (Uma Thurman).

After their instructor, Ms. Thorna (Lydia Leonard), is killed, the women realise they must fight to survive. Pretty Lethal thrives when it keeps the premise simple: five dancers versus a group of violent attackers.

United States, Budapest

pretty lethal, ballet, maddie ziegler, lara condor, millicent simmonds, iris apatow, uma thurman, vicky jewson, kate freund, budapest