- Rating: 3.5/5 stars
- Verdict: “The Bluff” is a blood-soaked and intense action-thriller that serves as a great reminder that we need more pirate movies. The Prime Video flick doesn't fully utilize its setting. The lack of high-seas battles is particularly disappointing. However, Priyanka Chopra Jonas makes for a fantastic and very lethal action heroine, while Karl Urban hits all the right notes as a sinister villain.
- Where to watch: "The Bluff' is on Prime Video now
It would be quite an understatement to say I’ve been unimpressed with Prime Video’s movie output for several years. While streaming arch-rival Netflix generally offers a mixed bag of exclusive movies, with plenty of skippable stinkers served up to subscribers alongside some gems, the Amazon-owned platform has been striking out so long that I can’t remember the last time I wholeheartedly recommended a new Prime Video release.
When evaluated on this grading curve, “The Bluff,” Prime Video’s new swashbuckling action-thriller original, is a major win. It’s far from flawless, but this intense and bloody revenge tale set in the twilight of the age of piracy is certainly watchable. It might not rival the highs of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise (“The Curse of the Black Pearl” remains the gold standard for pirate flicks), but it’s enough for a landlubber like me to enjoy.
Prime Video certainly seems ready to put some muscle behind “The Bluff,” and I have little doubt that it’ll very soon be scaling the platform’s top 10 most-watched list. Granted, that’s a feat achieved by the majority of tentpole originals, but in this case, the attention is (mostly) warranted. Here’s why I believe “The Bluff” is Prime Video’s best original movie in flippin' ages.
What is ‘The Bluff’ about?
Set in the mid-1800s, at a time when the pirates' way of life is dying, “The Bluff” introduces us to Ercell Bodden (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), once a feared pirate, and part of Captain Connor’s (Karl Urban) ruthless crew. Now Ercell is a dedicated homemaker living with her young family on a remote tropical island, and desperately awaiting the return from sea of her husband.
Naturally, this peaceful tranquility doesn’t last long, and Ercell soon has to face her complicated past when Connor and his dastardly crew come looking for her while hunting for a cache of hidden gold. With bloodthirsty pirates threatening her family, Ercell slips back into her old ways to defend her loved ones. As the old saying goes, once a pirate, always a pirate.
‘The Bluff’ proves we need more pirate movies
The one prevailing thought I had throughout “The Bluff” was that we really do need more pirate movies. Since the aforementioned Disney-produced series’ latest entry, “Dead Men Tell No Tales” in 2017, it feels like the genre has been a mostly untapped market. That makes “The Bluff” a very appreciated reminder that the age of piracy makes for a great cinematic setting.
Which isn’t to say this Prime Video takes full advantage of everything a high-seas adventure has to offer. It’s the sea aspect that is most neglected. Pretty much the entirety of “The Bluff” takes place on the island of Cayman Brac, and I was disappointed that the finale didn’t move the action to the ocean. Even just a single large-scale ship battle would have been enough.
Still, what “The Bluff” does contain in spades is salty villains and a larger-than-life action heroine. Priyanka Chopra Jonas leads the movie with fitting gravitas, leaping between a caring mother and her cunning pirate persona on a dime. It’ll likely come as no surprise, but Karl Urban is a fantastic villain. Captain Connor is ruthless and commands his crew with fearsome determination. He’s not interested in buried treasure; he wants revenge.
While “The Pirates of the Caribbean” was a true crowd-pleasing blockbuster, “The Bluff” is definitely a more grisly affair. It’s surprisingly violent. This resonates thematically, showing the cruelty of the life Ercell has left behind, but the scenes of minor villains being gutted and eviscerated are wince-inducing, and “The Bluff” is often less fun than it could have been.
Nevertheless, it’s well-paced throughout. Sans credits, it’s barely longer than 90 minutes, which prevents the simple “ghosts from the past come back to haunt” narrative from being stretched too thin. It all leads to a predictable showdown finale between Ercell and Captain Connor, which is certainly highly enjoyable, even if the green-screen effects are pretty laughable.
Should you stream ‘The Bluff’ on Prime Video?
“The Bluff” is the best Prime Video original movie I’ve watched in quite some time. There’s an element of faint praise about that statement, but after enduring so many subpar efforts from the streamer, it’s refreshing to have a new release that doesn’t feel like a waste of your precious watching time.
Chopra and Urban fully commit their character. Even if neither Ercell or Connor is as memorable as Captain Jack Sparrow, 90 minutes spent in their company breezes by. The action is well-staged, and will satisfy those baying for blood. Plus, due to the scarcity of pirate-themed flicks in 2026, there’s an inherent novelty in such an engaging swashbuckling adventure.
Rarely do I find myself calling for a sequel, but “The Bluff” lays a respectable foundation that I’d love to see expanded upon in the future. Perhaps a more ambitious follow-up, with a larger budget to add in some needed action across the seven seas, could see the world of “The Bluff” truly set sail.
Not convinced “The Bluff” is for you? Here’s a guide to the must-watch movies in the current Prime Video top 10. Or check out everything new on Prime Video in February 2026 for even more viewing options this week.
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