Episode 282 - From the World of John Wick: Ballerina
Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.
The “celebration” of 2025’s biggest cinematic misfires rolls on, and this week, Troy and Brad pirouette into the bullet-riddled ballet that is Ballerina. Set in the ever-expanding World of John Wick, this spin-off tries desperately to remind you that, yes, the John Wick franchise is still very cool, very successful, and very much alive—even if this particular entry feels like it’s limping to the finish line in high heels.
Ballerina stars Ana de Armas as Eve, a vengeance-fueled assassin with a tragic backstory and a penchant for pirouettes and pistol-whipping. The film’s marketing promised a sleek, stylish detour into Wick’s world, but what audiences got was a muddled mix of lore-dumping, recycled set pieces, and storytelling that felt like it was choreographed by committee.
Troy and Brad dive deep into the film’s long and winding production history, including the last-minute call to bring in franchise godfather Chad Stahelski to punch up the action. Is Ballerina a misunderstood gem or just a misstep in an otherwise bulletproof franchise? Tune in as they dissect the good, the bad, and the ballet of it all—and decide whether Ballerina deserves a second dance or a swift exit stage left.
From the world of John Wick: Ballerina is directed by Len Wiseman and stars Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, and Keanu Reeves.
To celebrate the last 25 years of film, the Not A Bomb podcast is compiling a Top 25 list from the Not A Bomb community. If you would like to submit your own list, please use this form to enter your 25 choices. For a film to be eligible, it must have been released between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2025. Those are the only rules. Hurry, this is the last week to submit your list! Thank you for being a part of the community! Stay tuned for a special episode revealing the results in December. Head over to Not A Bomb 25 in 25 to fill out the form!
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.
The “celebration” of 2025’s biggest cinematic misfires rolls on, and this week, Troy and Brad pirouette into the bullet-riddled ballet that is Ballerina. Set in the ever-expanding World of John Wick, this spin-off tries desperately to remind you that, yes, the John Wick franchise is still very cool, very successful, and very much alive—even if this particular entry feels like it’s limping to the finish line in high heels.
Ballerina stars Ana de Armas as Eve, a vengeance-fueled assassin with a tragic backstory and a penchant for pirouettes and pistol-whipping. The film’s marketing promised a sleek, stylish detour into Wick’s world, but what audiences got was a muddled mix of lore-dumping, recycled set pieces, and storytelling that felt like it was choreographed by committee.
Troy and Brad dive deep into the film’s long and winding production history, including the last-minute call to bring in franchise godfather Chad Stahelski to punch up the action. Is Ballerina a misunderstood gem or just a misstep in an otherwise bulletproof franchise? Tune in as they dissect the good, the bad, and the ballet of it all—and decide whether Ballerina deserves a second dance or a swift exit stage left.
From the world of John Wick: Ballerina is directed by Len Wiseman and stars Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, and Keanu Reeves.
To celebrate the last 25 years of film, the Not A Bomb podcast is compiling a Top 25 list from the Not A Bomb community. If you would like to submit your own list, please use this form to enter your 25 choices. For a film to be eligible, it must have been released between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2025. Those are the only rules. Hurry, this is the last week to submit your list! Thank you for being a part of the community! Stay tuned for a special episode revealing the results in December. Head over to Not A Bomb 25 in 25 to fill out the form!
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Episode 200 - Blade Runner & Blade Runner 2049
Welcome to your favorite movie podcast, Not a Bomb!! This is the podcast where we revisit some of the biggest box office failures in cinema history and explore whether they deserve a second chance.
We are incredibly grateful for all the support we've received over the last 200 episodes and we look forward to many more. For this special occasion, we decided to discuss the seminal science fiction film, Blade Runner. Despite its status as a thought-provoking and visually stunning work of art, the initial release of the film was a commercial flop.
We also talk about the 2017 sequel, Blade Runner 2049, which strikes a perfect balance between building on the legacy of the original and standing on its own as a great film. Unfortunately, the sequel also bombed and failed to make a profit for the studios.
To delve into these two iconic science-fiction works, we welcomed a special guest, Cam, offering a Gen Z perspective. This episode wouldn't have been the same without Cam, and we're excited to have him share his insights on this captivating futuristic saga.
Blade Runner is directed by Ridley Scott and stars Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos, M. Emmet Walsh, Daryl Hannah, William Sanderson, Brion James and Joe Turkel.
Blader Runner 2049 is directed by Denis Villeneuve and stars Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Caral Juri, Lennie James, Dave Bautista and Jared Leto
If you want to leave feedback or suggest a movie bomb, please drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or Contact Us - here. Also, if you like what you hear, leave a review on Apple Podcast.
Cast: Brad, Troy, Cam
Welcome to your favorite movie podcast, Not a Bomb!! This is the podcast where we revisit some of the biggest box office failures in cinema history and explore whether they deserve a second chance.
We are incredibly grateful for all the support we've received over the last 200 episodes and we look forward to many more. For this special occasion, we decided to discuss the seminal science fiction film, Blade Runner. Despite its status as a thought-provoking and visually stunning work of art, the initial release of the film was a commercial flop.
We also talk about the 2017 sequel, Blade Runner 2049, which strikes a perfect balance between building on the legacy of the original and standing on its own as a great film. Unfortunately, the sequel also bombed and failed to make a profit for the studios.
To delve into these two iconic science-fiction works, we welcomed a special guest, Cam, offering a Gen Z perspective. This episode wouldn't have been the same without Cam, and we're excited to have him share his insights on this captivating futuristic saga.
Blade Runner is directed by Ridley Scott and stars Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos, M. Emmet Walsh, Daryl Hannah, William Sanderson, Brion James and Joe Turkel.
Blader Runner 2049 is directed by Denis Villeneuve and stars Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Caral Juri, Lennie James, Dave Bautista and Jared Leto
If you want to leave feedback or suggest a movie bomb, please drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or Contact Us - here. Also, if you like what you hear, leave a review on Apple Podcast.