Balestra

2024

Drama / Fantasy / Sci-Fi / Sport / Thriller

13
IMDb Rating 5.1/10 10 574 574

intense

Plot summary

Joanna is a competitive fencer at the end of her career who is desperate to be the world’s best. In order to gain an edge, she pursues an experimental technology, allowing her to train via lucid dreaming, where she begins a tumultuous affair with her instructor that threatens her real world marriage and her pathway to Olympic gold.

Director

Nicole Dorsey Photo
Nicole Dorsey

Top cast

Stephen Lobo Photo
Stephen Lobo as Owen
Heather Doerksen Photo
Heather Doerksen as Dr. Sutro
Manny Jacinto Photo
Manny Jacinto as Elliot
Christin Park Photo
Christin Park as Audie Zimmer
720p.WEB 1080p.WEB 2160p.WEB
1.3 GB
1280*534
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us   fr  
23.976 fps
2 hr 25 min
Seeds 4
2.67 GB
1920*800
English 5.1
NR
Subtitles us   fr  
23.976 fps
2 hr 25 min
Seeds 9
6.47 GB
3840*2160
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
N/A
Seeds 3

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by davejones 8 / 10

Terrific Movie with One Flaw

This is a sports movie with a fresh sci-fi twist. We've seen the setup many times before: an ambitious athlete, pushed by a coach who wants the gold even more than the athlete does, leaving the athlete questioning if the sacrifices necessary to be an Olympic gold-medal winner are worth it. But the sci-fi element that gives the athlete the edge she's been looking for pushes the whole thing in fresh directions, with the story taking turns I never saw coming. I was rooting for the protagonist from the beginning, and right through the final scene. Direction, performances, cinematography, score and the script are all excellent.There's just one problem with this movie, in my opinion: it's too long. And not just a little too long. There is no need for this film to be 2½ hours. The story could have been told in two hours, and it would have been even more suspenseful than it is.That aside, it's well worth seeing.
Reviewed by WaitForJoris 4 / 10

Wish it was better

Reviewed by A_Different_Drummer 6 / 10

such potential!

With over 2000+ reviews here, I can share that the most frustrating films to review are the ones which -- like the lead character in this story -- never live up to their full potential. Similar to the story arc in another recent release -- THE SUBSTANCE 2024 -- BALESTRA 2024 is about a woman who is unhappy with the way her life has turned out. And will do anything -- literally! -- to fix that. The technicals are great, and the acting is solid. (Although Cush Jumbo was not the first pick for the role, there was a last minute change). The problem with the film is that the first 15 minutes, and the last 15 minutes, are of an entirely quality than the almost two hours of muddle in the middle. The film starts with a fascinating technical premise, a great set-up; and ends with an exciting fencing showdown so good that it could have come from a sports documentary. The middle, unfortunately, is just an old-fashioned love triangle with gaps and yawns that make you think you might be watching a different film. And that's a pity. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))
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