Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Vengeful pirates go on killing spree; nonstop violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Bluff
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Ercell Bodden (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) is a mom who lives in a picturesque Cayman Island setting with her son (Vedanten Naidoo), who has a disability limiting his mobility, and her sister-in-law (Safia Oakley-Green), in THE BLUFF. Her husband, T.H. (Ismael Cruz Cordova), has been away at sea for longer than expected, and the family is growing worried. Though their reign is over, pirates still roam the high seas, killing and pillaging along the way. When the crew of pirate Captain Connor (Karl Urban) takes over a smaller ship and discovers a golden bar in T.H.'s possession with Connor's insignia on it, they set sail for the Caymans to hunt the rest of the gold. Little do the others know that Connor and Ercell have a past, and that she isn't exactly who she says she is.
Is It Any Good?
The choreographed, gory battles in this film will appeal to some viewers, as will the novelty of a fierce female pirate captain played by the popular Chopra Jonas, but it won't be for everyone. Part of the problem of The Bluff is a general lack of concern with character development in the first half of the movie. We're about halfway into the swashbuckling action before we learn anything of Bloody Mary's backstory and the relationship driving the vengeful spree. Instead, we dart from fight scene to murder as if every person except one or two were completely expendable, giving us little to care about beyond pure survival. That's the modern pirate's fate, we're told. But it doesn't leave much to remember after the fighting is all over.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Bloody Mary's character in The Bluff. What do we learn about her background that explains her unmatched fighting skills? What motivates her? Have you seen other films with female pirates?
When is explicit violence on-screen too much for you? What factors do you think the filmmakers consider when deciding what to show or not to show as far as killings and deaths?
How do filmmakers choreograph action-packed fight scenes like the ones in The Bluff? Where could you find additional information about how these scenes are filmed?
The film is set in 1846 in the Caribbean. What do the opening titles tell us about this era of pirates? Where could you find out more about the time period and location?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : February 25, 2026
- Cast : Priyanka Chopra Jonas , Karl Urban , Temuera Morrison
- Director : Frank E. Flowers
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Director(s) , Caribbean Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Actor(s) , Indigenous Movie Actor(s) , Polynesian/Pacific Islander Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Amazon Prime
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories , History , Pirates
- Run time : 102 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong bloody violence
- Last updated : March 16, 2026
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