While many action films before have featured strong leading women, director Vicky Jewson takes on the genre through a darkly comedic, emotionally wrought female lens in Pretty Lethal, which premiered tonight at SXSW.
In the Kate Freund-penned film, five young ballerinas and their coach head to a showcase in Budapest, only to get stranded in a remote area hundreds of miles from the city when their bus breaks down.
Taking refuge at a nearby inn, the group is welcomed by the establishment’s owner Devora (Uma Thurman), a former ballerina herself who had to give up on her dreams when a leg injury abruptly halted her career at a young age.
When one of their own is killed by Pasha (Tamás Szabó Sipos), the dancers must overcome their differences and work together to get out alive.
With Thurman leaving no crumbs in her performance as the revenge-seeking matriarch of criminals, she is complimented by a talented ensemble of young actresses.
As Bones, Maddie Ziegler plays a talented dancer whose tough attitude conflicts with the “rich bitch sport” of ballet. Lana Condor is an entertaining nemesis as Princess, an entitled “rich bitch” who wants Bones’ solo. While their insulting jabs at each other make for good laughs, their arc as teammates learning to work together is what gives the film its heart.
Likewise, Iris Apatow and Millicent Simmonds display a complex bond as sisters Zoe and Chloe, respectively. Being that Chloe is deaf, she often has to depend on Zoe to give her dance cues and interpret for her. While that dependence puts them at odds early on, they eventually find their groove while taking on a mansion full of criminal henchmen.
Meanwhile, Avantika is the comedic standout as Bible-thumper Grace, who has no trouble taking down full grown men while tripping on drugs throughout much of the film, providing endless levity to the most dire of scenarios.
In Pretty Lethal, Jewson manages to walk that line of gritty dark action, a la John Wick and Tarantino’s entire toxically masculine oeuvre, balanced with unapologetic laughs and an emotionally satisfying story of sisterhood. It’s proof positive that the boys club of Hollywood’s go-to action directors is long overdue for a shakeup.
Title: Pretty Lethal
Festival: SXSW (Headliner)
Distributor: Amazon MGM Studios
Release date: March 25, 2026
Director: Vicky Jewson
Screenwriter: Kate Freund
Cast: Iris Apatow, Lana Condor, Millicent Simmonds, Avantika, Maddie Ziegler, Uma Thurman
Running time: 1 hr 28 mins
