The Bluff Review
Director: Frank E. Flowers
Date Created: 2026-02-25 14:00
3.5
The Bluff Review: Written and directed by Frank E. Flowers and with a screenplay by Joe Ballarini, this swashbuckling action thriller brings a darker, more grounded take on pirate lore. The film stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Ercell and Karl Urban as Captain Connor in the main lead alongside Safia Oakley-Green as Elizabeth, Ismael Cruz Córdova as T.H. Bodden, Temuera Morrison as Quartermaster Lee, Vedanten Naidoo as Issac and others. With a runtime of 101 minutes, this Prime Video film tells the story of a former pirate whose dark past comes back to haunt her, compelling her to protect her loved ones and the fragile peace she thought she had established.
The Bluff Review
Prime Video’s The Bluff centres on Ersell “Bloody Mary” Botton, a pirate who once sailed the high seas in search of adventure but now lives a peaceful life with her husband and child in the Caribbean. However, this peaceful life is only temporary. When her former captain, Connor, comes back seeking revenge, Ersell is forced to confront a part of herself she thought she’d left behind. What follows is a lean, survival-focused thriller about a woman who will stop at nothing to protect her family.
What impresses is the way the tension is always personal, never derived from pirate battles or action set pieces. The fight scenes are visceral and urgent, sword fights and hand-to-hand combat that look messy and unrefined, as if they’re not choreographed but happening for real. You can almost smell the sweat and feel the bruises. The action is creative and hard-hitting, though sometimes the camera wobbles a bit, throwing some of the already excellent action sequences slightly out of whack.
However, at the heart of The Bluff movie is Priyanka Chopra Jonas. She carries the story with conviction and passion. Ersell is more than just a tough pirate; she is a mother driven by the ferocity of protectiveness. There is a sense of desperation in her acting that makes the violence seem necessary rather than gratuitous. I was almost hooked on her storyline because Ersell’s fear, anger, and determination are so completely authentic.
Captain Connor, played by Karl Urban, is more of a presence to be feared than a fully realised villain. He has a definite presence and a stinging intensity that make him a force to be reckoned with, but the character never really gets a chance to fully develop into a complex character that could add depth to the conflict. The same can be said of the rest of the cast, who move the plot along well but whose motivations and histories are not fleshed out enough to add depth.
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As for the plot, The Bluff film follows a fairly traditional revenge story, with a clear direction that is apparent fairly early on. It is not a plot that is full of surprises, and at times it feels a bit thin, as if a few of the background elements could have used a bit more screen time. However, the fast-paced action of the film keeps it from dragging or becoming overly complicated.
In terms of visuals, Prime Video movie The Bluff is a gritty and almost palpable film. The setting of the film is very much a part of this gritty, real-world feel, even if a few of the special effects are a bit too slick for the gritty tone of the film. The production design of the film is very effective at drawing the viewer into the gritty world of the 19th century.
Now coming back to the movie, I couldn’t shake the sense, even as the film progressed, that there was a larger world just out of sight, beyond what we’re actually seeing. We get flashes of Ersell’s backstory and the pirate ring she used to be a part of, enough to suggest that there’s more going on beneath the surface. But the story itself remains compact and intimate, opting for depth over width. This is certainly a way to maintain the sense of urgency, yes, but it also gives the whole thing a slightly cramped feel, like it’s a chapter in a larger story rather than a complete one.
The Bluff Prime Video Review: Summing Up
In conclusion, The Bluff is at its best when it is embracing its gritty, high-octane style. It may not be a particularly original take on the revenge pirate story, but it is a solid and adrenaline-fueled thrill ride that is anchored by a strong lead performance. It is not a perfect film, as it is a bit predictable and the supporting cast could use a bit more development, but it is certainly an entertaining film from start to finish.
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