Ballerinas Unleash Killer Moves in Pretty Lethal (SXSW) Action Horror Movie

Title: Pretty Lethal

First Non-Festival Release: March 25, 2026 (Digital/Streaming Platforms)

Director: Vicky Jewson

Writer: Kate Freund

Runtime: 88 Minutes

Starring: Maddie Ziegler, Lana Condor, Avantika, Uma Thurman, Millicent Simmonds, Iris Apatow

Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here

This film’s review was written after its screening at the South by Southwest Film Festival in 2026.

In a world where women are deemed expendable by the powers that be, there is an ache for some sort of upheaval or revolution. With every institution pushing down against them, women have been forced to be resilient for the egos and pocketbooks of rich, powerful men. It doesn’t have to be like this.

A ballerina troupe headed by coach Marijana Markovic (Klára Spilák) flies to Hungary to compete in an intense showcase. Amongst the troupe are Princess (Lana Condor), Chloe (Millicent Simmonds), Zoe (Iris Apatow), Grace (Avantika), and Bones (Maddie Ziegler), all with varying degrees of excitement for the competition and annoyance with each other. When their bus breaks down on the way, the troupe walks a few miles up the road to the Teremok Inn run by former ballerina Devora Kasimer (Uma Thurman). When something terrible happens and the realization sinks in that no one is coming to save them, the ballerinas must work together to survive the siege.

Pretty Lethal delivers kick-ass female-fronted action glory thanks to the impressive commitment of its production team and cast.

Beginning as backwoods horror before sharply transforming into an action thriller, Pretty Lethal handles its genre and tonal fluidity with aplomb. Featuring all the same signifiers that something is off like Hostel or Turistas, Pretty Lethal establishes the Teremok Inn as a source of ambiguous fear for the locals and the women are warned. From there, it plays out like a typical Americans abroad slasher until it shifts firmly into action. The bullets and blades begin attacking fiercely, showering the film in a snowstorm of dangerous flying objects and limbs. As the ballerinas navigate the chaos, they find camaraderie in each other.

One of the main through lines of Pretty Lethal is its commitment to showing women supporting each other through adversity. By establishing the character dynamics and introducing the stakes early, Pretty Lethal stretches the conceit to prove teamwork goes further than competition. On their own, any of the dancers are a threat but together they become a mini army. It’s a combination of flexed confidence and restored trust in each other that allows them to fight back voraciously.

Pretty Lethal reminds us that when women are supported, great things can be accomplished. It just so happens that the accomplishment in question is escaping the clutches of two powerful local crime rings.

Despite all this, the story isn’t the main draw here. Instead, it’s the wince-inducing, shrapnel-infused action and the badass actresses that make it look so fucking good. Mixing two different physically demanding activities, fighting and ballet dancing, the action of Pretty Lethal waxes to great heights as director Vicky Jewson pushes the cast further. Blending the two mediums together, the dancing brings out the pain that these performers endure while the fighting appears as beautiful as any performance of “The Sugar Plum Fairy”. Aside from a few moments of stagnation for plot armor, the fighting is both realistic and positively exhilarating.

Any one of these women could lead an action horror flick if they wanted. Instead, their cooperation as an ensemble allows each of them to shine in their own way. Lana Condor and Avantika bring the comedy in different stripes while Maddie Ziegler ensures the intensity never wavers. Millicent Simmonds and Iris Apatow round it out well by providing a sister relationship that is equal parts sweet as it is authentic with their bickering.

Kinetic, blood-soaked action and a beating heart of female empowerment, Pretty Lethal is a killer action flick that stuns with its impressive choreography. While its story is familiar and generic, it’s the relationships it builds with its characters and the sharp commentary it laces within the narrative that makes it special. Female action films don’t get the support they deserve. Right this wrong by streaming Pretty Lethal when it drops later this month on Amazon.

Overall Score? 8/10