Mumbai: “Desi girl” Priyanka Chopra unleashes a full-blown action storm in Amazon Prime Video’s The Bluff, stepping into a role that many male action stars would envy. Armed with daggers, swords, fire, and even explosives, Priyanka’s pirate alter ego doesn’t just fight — she annihilates. Logic may occasionally take a backseat (like wondering how an army of pirates fit into one medium-sized ship), but when the action is this flamboyant and unapologetic, who’s really counting?
One Island. One Pirate. One Ruthless Face-Off.
The film pits Priyanka’s character Ersel against the menacing pirate captain Conor, played with trademark swagger by Karl Urban. Conor, long obsessed with recovering a stolen chest of gold, tracks a clue to a remote island after discovering a gold biscuit aboard a captured ship commanded by T.H. Bowden (Ismael Cruz Córdova).
But what Conor doesn’t anticipate is that Bowden’s wife, Ersel, is no helpless homemaker. When his men attempt to abduct her and her family — which includes Bowden’s sister and their disabled son — they quickly learn a fatal lesson. Underestimating Ersel proves to be their biggest mistake. And in this world, mistakes are corrected with blood.
The title The Bluff cleverly references a coastal geological formation — cave-like hollows carved into cliffs by crashing waves. On Bowden’s island, one such bluff becomes the deadly battleground where Conor’s men meet their fate. Stylishly staged and visually dramatic, these sequences give the film its signature edge.
Action at Full Throttle, Writing on Cruise Mode
Backed by the action pedigree associated with the Russo Brothers’ production ventures, the film opens with breathless combat choreography. The first major clash between Ersel and Conor’s men is raw, unexpected, and brilliantly executed. For a moment, the film truly grips you.
However, once audiences recognize Ersel’s lethal capabilities, the narrative relies heavily on escalating action rather than deepening emotional stakes. Director Frank E. Flowers successfully amplifies Priyanka’s action-star persona, but the screenplay doesn’t always support the spectacle with layered storytelling.
Conor’s menace largely rests on Ersel’s fear of him rather than on a fleshed-out backstory. Karl Urban’s magnetic screen presence keeps the villain compelling, yet the character lacks a sub-plot that would elevate him beyond a stylish antagonist. Similarly, Ersel’s mysterious past hints at complexity but stops short of meaningful exploration.
There are intriguing sparks between Ersel and Conor’s second-in-command Lee (Temuera Morrison). A deeper dive into their dynamic could have enriched the narrative and added emotional heft.
A Stylish Pirate Saga That Stops Just Short
Hollywood hasn’t delivered a full-fledged pirate spectacle in quite some time, and The Bluff attempts to fill that void with flair. It succeeds in delivering slick, big-screen heroism and a commanding central performance, but falls a few nautical miles short of becoming a truly great pirate epic.
The film clearly chooses to focus on the explosive face-off between Priyanka and Karl Urban, prioritizing present-tense action over layered storytelling. Several side characters and backstories feel undercooked, leaving viewers with a lingering sense of “this could have been more.”
Yet none of these shortcomings diminish one undeniable truth: Priyanka Chopra commands the screen like a seasoned action powerhouse. Her blood-soaked pirate avatar is fierce, stylish, and unapologetically dominant — more than enough reason to board The Bluff and enjoy the ride.
