There’s something inherently scary and intimidating about ballet dancers. The stress, the rigidity, the fierce competitiveness, the pressure to be perfect. It sometimes seems that underneath all that poise and composure is an unstable person ready to snap at any moment. And that is exactly what we see with Brett Mullen’s Bloody Ballet. Bloody Ballet delivers 84 minutes of enjoyable entertainment, despite its shortcomings.

Adriana Mena (Kendra Carelli) is a beautiful up and coming ballet dancer that lands the lead role in the dance theatre’s production of The Nutcracker, a spot she has taken away from the reigning queen Elaina Kimper (Jae Hitch). As rehearsals for the performance progress, Adriana is forced to confront her demons. As jealousy and tension flare, so do the supernatural and mysterious killings of the dancers.

My initial impression was one of interest. I enjoyed the cinematography choices. There were a lot of artistic shots and several leg-down shots. It gave another “dancing” element to the film which I found to be particularly enjoyable. But unlike the cinematography, I was not a fan of the music. Now I love 80’s music, but there were so many moments where things felt so out of place. I almost expected to see the beginning of Stranger Things episode. The music itself is enjoyable, but it doesn’t have a place in the film. The moments that were paired with unsettling creepy music were much more potent than the watered-down moments peppered with synthesizers.

The plot itself is an homage to creepy ballet films of past such as Black Swan and Suspiria but manages to keep its own originality. However, with that originality come several half-realized ideas that create for some storyline confusion and an ending that leaves more questions than answers. Characters and objects would appear with no explanation. Moments that might have been intended to be twists or essential plot reveals felt like another confusing detail.

Plot and writing aside, the acting from this cast was incredibly enjoyable to watch. Special recognition should go to Carelli for her performance. The film may not have fully done her performance a justice, but she was phenomenal to watch. Katie Carpenter also gives a wonderful performance as Adriana’s best friend Berna. These actresses created a relationship on screen that was endearing and believable.

The makeup and special effects in this film are worth noting. One particular scene involving a bathtub had makeup effects I particularly enjoyed. Anyone who knows me knows I have an intense fear of eye trauma, and there were SEVERAL moments in this film that had me feeling a little faint. Hats off to the makeup and special effects team for their extensive and elaborate work in this film. You people are gross and have issues, but your talent is undisputed.

Was Bloody Ballet scary? No. But it was visually dynamic, engaging, and entertaining. There will always be a fascination with the human response to pressure and stress and the loss of mental stability that comes with it. The world of dance was a perfect stage for this story to unfold. It is the ideal ‘balancé’ of a psychological and supernatural thriller. If you’re not a plot purist, you can maintain some suspension of disbelief, and you can appreciate a visually stunning piece of art for what it is, then Bloody Ballet is definitely worth your time.