The Bluff Review: Strong Action, Weak Writing in This Pirate Thriller

Priyanka Chopra has carved out a strong place in Hollywood and commands the screen as a ruthless 19th-century pirate in The Bluff, delivering fierce energy and charisma from start to finish.​

The Bluff review, though delayed, is designed to help you decide whether it’s worth setting aside 100 minutes of your busy schedule to watch Priyanka Chopra in action—or skipping it entirely.​

Plot details of The Bluff (2026)​

The Bluff focuses on a skilled ex-pirate, Ercell (played by Priyanka Chopra Jonas), who is living a tranquil life in the Cayman Islands, having left her dark and violent past.​

Their lives take a wild turn with the arrival of her notorious former captain, Connor (Karl Urban), who seeks revenge for her past betrayals. Ercell has been hush-hush about her past with her child, but now she must face the demons and secretive sins to free herself from Connor’s looming threat.

Watch the trailer here:​

Actors’ performances in The Bluff (2026)​

Priyanka Chopra shines in her action-packed pirate thriller as she plays a mother protecting her family from menacing buccaneers. She is physically and mentally strong, and her powerful fight scenes portray her as an “absolute force.”​

Karl Urban shows off his vengeful pirate genes in his antagonist role of Captain Connor. He likes to call Ercell “Bloody Mary” and constantly tries to embarrass her about her past. Karl Urban’s role in The Bluff highlights his command over dark, high-octane characters, a streak that will continue in the highly anticipated Mortal Kombat sequel.

The emotional history of these two characters provided a heartbeat to the film as their showdown at the bluff was a real swaggering performance that we waited for till the end.

Ismael Cruz as T.H. Bodden had an extremely limited role, while Safia Oakley-Green as Elizabeth and Vedanten Naidoo as Isaac are adequate in their roles, though the writing gives them a limited scope to shine.​

What do critics add to The Bluff review?

At the time of writing, no critics’ consensus is available, but the critics agreed on one thing: apart from the strong central performance of Priyanka Chopra, the film does not have anything special. The film leans on familiar tropes, combining Citadel (2023) and Heads of State (2025), but the female lead still has a long way to go to master the true swashbuckling action.​

The story didn’t offer any memorable moments, and no emotional connection with the characters was felt. Though some high-energy action kept the critics going, overall, the film appeared to be a reiteration of the previous pirate films.

Fans’ reaction​

With a slightly higher score than the critics, some of the audience called it good entertainment, while others were severely harsh on it, calling it “not worth watching at all.”​

The audience also praised Priyanka Chopra and Karl Urban, some of the scenic views, and the fight sequences. The fans called it a “typical period” feature that fails to deliver anything truly distinctive or essential to stand out.​

Is it worth watching?​

It is worth watching for one reason: Priyanka Chopra’s action as a female pirate lead. Though Karl Urban also serves as a strong cast member and their pairing serves to be the true lifeline of the film, the weak script didn’t hold the film together.

The feature is constantly being compared with Pirates of the Caribbean (2003 onwards). But since the latter relied heavily on the franchise’s fantasy elements, this non-sequel doesn’t have the right formula for strong world-building as Pirates of the Caribbean does.

Since the director belongs to the Caribbean, he has paid special attention to the swashbuckling swordplay and use of multiple weapons to add to the film’s action brutality. This is a notable element that sets The Bluff apart from its pirate predecessors, with Chopra’s intense performance.

The landscapes and ships feel largely artificial, despite the decision to shoot in Australia to better manage the film’s scale. The director has acknowledged budget constraints, and while the team clearly aimed to create something grander than their resources allowed, that ambition often shows—particularly in the heavy reliance on green-screen cinematography, which undercuts the film’s sense of realism.​

At its core, it did add to the buccaneer feel of the story, whereas the story itself and its subplots are weak. The romantic angle is given undue importance, even though the core narrative is clearly rooted in revenge and the protection of one’s home. The writing also suffers from thin character development, and the formulaic revenge structure made the story predictable.​

What we liked​

• Priyanka Chopra’s performance
• Karl Urban’s villainous role
• High-octane action and fight sequences
• Scenic visuals and production ambition
• Dynamic lead pairing

What could be better​

• Predictable and formulaic story
• Weak subplots and thin character development
• Overemphasis on romance
• Over-reliance on green screen and artificial sets
• Limited world-building

Here is a detailed breakdown of our rating for The Bluff (2026):

Story/plot	5/10
Characters and acting	6/10
Direction and pacing	6/10
Visuals and cinematography	6/10
Soundtrack/score	5/10
Themes and message	4/10
Emotional impact	3/10
Creativity/originality	5/10
Rewatchability	2/10

Our rating: 5/10​

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Is The Bluff (2026) available for streaming?​

The Bluff (2026) (R-rated) is available for streaming on Amazon Prime from February 25, 2026, onwards. 

Genre: Swashbuckler action, adventure, drama, history

IMDb rating: 5.8

Rotten Tomatoes: 55 percent on Tomatometer (critics’ score) and 62 percent on Popcornmeter

Cast: Karl Urban, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Safia Oakley-Green, Temuera Morrison, Vedanten Naidoo, Ismael Cruz Cordova

Director: Frank E. Flowers

Writers: Joe Ballarini, Frank E. Flowers

Producers: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Angela Russo-Otsot, Michael Disco, Cisely Saldana, Mariel Saldana, Priyanka Chopra Jonas

Release date: February 25, 2026

Movie runtime: 1 hour 43 minutes

Our review is in. Do you agree or disagree? Drop your review in the comments and join the conversation.