Hell yes — that scene. Short answer: yep, those are “rubber”/kinetic impact rounds used in the movie as a plot constraint (Eve is forced to use less-lethal ammo), but in real life they’re a messy, dangerous category — not harmless props. Let me break it down fast, hard, and useful. 🔥
What the film shows
- In Ballerina the recruit is given rubber rounds as a limitation for an initiation/assignment — it’s a cool storytelling beat that forces creativity in a gunfight. Film coverage and fan commentary call that out explicitly.
What “rubber bullets” actually are
- The term covers a range of kinetic impact projectiles: rubber-coated metal, plastic rounds, foam/sponge rounds, bean-bag rounds, pepper-ball rounds — all intended to incapacitate through pain/impact rather than penetrate. Wikipedia has a solid taxonomy.
Reality check — they’re not safe toys
- Despite the name, these rounds can cause fractures, blindness, internal injury and even death, especially at close range or when fired at the head/chest. Medical and systematic reviews show serious injuries and deaths from KIPs (kinetic impact projectiles).
- Police often distinguish between actual metal-core “rubber” rounds and foam/sponge rounds (the LAPD said it uses foam rounds in some situations). In practice, materials vary and some “rubber” rounds contain metal or very hard fillers.
How filmmakers simulate them safely
- On set: actors don’t use live less-lethal rounds — they use blanks, airsoft/prop rounds, CGI, or specially controlled stunt effects. Safety teams choreograph hits so things look real but the performers stay protected. The movie’s action team likely designed the scene to feel authentic while keeping Ana de Armas and stunt actors safe.
So: movie = stylish constraint; reality = complicated, risky, and often controversial.
Want me to:
- Break down types (foam vs rubber-coated vs beanbag vs pepper-ball) with real examples and injury stats?
- Show how the Ballerina scene was made (stunt notes / practical effects articles)?
- Compare “rubber” rounds to other less-lethal options for self-defense (legalities + effectiveness)?
Pick one and I’ll smash it into a rapid, brutal, glorious breakdown. 💥