duchess will be instantly recognized – and loved – by fans of British gangster films or action films of the 1970s. It can best be described as a cross between the film adaptation of JJ Connolly’s crime novel Layer cake and the action picture directed by Gina Carano Haywire. Charlotte Kirk, who not only plays the lead role but also co-wrote and produced the film, rose to stardom with it and anyone who likes to have fun will enjoy the film.

The film focuses on the title character, who rises from petty thief to something much bigger after a chance encounter in a nightclub. What follows doesn’t reinvent the crime film wheel. The film knows exactly what to give the audience, who can mostly guess what’s coming. But thanks to an interesting cast and a complete commitment to its larger-than-life atmosphere, duchess ends up being a great popcorn movie.

Duchess turns Charlotte Kirk into an action heroine

Kirk does her part to carry the film

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If the name of a character is the title of a movie, then that character must be worth watching. duchess The film’s name comes from the nickname of Kirk’s protagonist Scarlett Monaghan, who is undoubtedly the focus of every scene she appears in. This is not surprising, as Kirk co-directed the film with The descent Director Neil Marshall; it would be stranger if the two not play to their strengths. The film is told from Scarlett/Duchess’s point of view, including her commentary, and follows her development from petty criminal to one-woman revenge machine.

In this sense, there are echoes of Gina Carano’s performance in the 2011 film Haywire. Both films focus on strong female characters who spend most of the film literally fighting for revenge after being betrayed, and both films emphasize how tough their heroines are. But while Carano’s character Mallory Kane was a professional assassin – and Carano herself was a professional MMA fighter – Duchess is a relatively ordinary person. The post-credits scenes reveal that she is an incredibly talented criminal, but her martial arts skills are limited to boxing training at a gym run by Aunt Nellie. duchess spends what little time it has on the title character not being prepared for what she’s about to do; she just knows she’s going to do it.

Likewise, Kirk does everything that is required of her, from the cocky and confident presence the film needs to keep the audience rooting for her, to the few moments when she needs to be emotional. The story really depends on whether the viewer buys into Scarlett’s whirlwind romance with Rob (played by Law and Order: SVU alum Philip Winchester), because that provides the motivation for all the fighting and shooting. Kirk does not reach the same heights as Daniel Craig in Layer cake or undergo such a convincing transformation as Martin Compston in gangsterbut she never loses that credibility, making the audience care about Duchess and not just how many bad guys she defeats. And of course she takes out several.

The casting of the Duchess makes the film entertaining

An unexpected combination of actors provides great appeal

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There is no shortage of female action-adventure heroes, so duchess needs more than Kirk to stand out. What makes the film a real eye-catcher is the rest of the cast, because they are not names that would immediately spring to mind for an audience. The Layer cake The comparison is made even more valid by the presence of Colm Meaney, who starred as Gene in the 2004 film. Meaney has a brief but important role in duchess as “Mad” Frank Monaghan, Scarlett’s imprisoned and completely unrepentant father, who provides the necessary context for the title character’s ill-fated backstory.

The film is a welcome return for Philip Winchester, who starred in the superlative action series. Fight back before moving on to crime series on network TV. One of the weaknesses of the script is how quickly it wants the audience to believe that Scarlett and Rob are madly in love with each other.; they’re flirting within minutes of meeting, and certain parts of their relationship are skipped over in montages. Scarlett calls Rob “the love of my life,” but that dynamic just isn’t given enough time to make it truly believable—because there has to be time for the action sequences. What sells the romance instead is Winchester’s portrayal of an ex-Marine turned diamond dealer turned mercenary as utterly charming, making the audience fall in love with him too, and understand that he’s a good guy despite his questionable career choice. And once the bullets start flying, Winchester is back in his element as an action hero.

The biggest surprise comes from Colin Egglesfield, who plays Rob’s long-time friend and business partner Tom. His character undergoes a drastic change that sets Tom apart from almost all the characters Egglesfield has played before. The actor is best known for playing likable characters in projects such as Rizzoli & Islands or the romantic comedy Something borrowed; this film will make audiences see him very differently. It might be the first time he’s been actively loathed on screen. For soap opera fans: dynasty And The Colbys Star Stephanie Beacham throws herself wholeheartedly into the role of Charlie. All of the characters surrounding Scarlett are pretty much what the audience expects them to be. The way the actors play them makes them unique.

Duchess offers enough action to keep the viewer interested

Neil Marshall makes a fast-paced, busy film

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Although duchess doesn’t spend enough time fleshing out its characters, that’s because the film wants to get to the double-cross and action that gangster movie fans expect. Marshall’s use of montages speeds up the middle period between Scarlett’s encounter with Rob and her role as an integral part of his business. The director also keeps things at a brisk pace once the inciting incident sends Duchess on her quest for revenge; the only low points come when the characters discuss their next moves between fights. Although the film runs just under two hours – 117 minutes – it feels much shorter.

Marshall is completely focused on the larger-than-life, sensationalist feel of the gangster genre, while also drawing on a certain aesthetic of 1970s films. The retro titles and the decision to display the names of all key characters on screen when they are introduced (which is very helpful) make duchess feels more like a classic than something released in 2024. The director is also able to adapt his style several times. A scene before the credits feels very Film-Noirbut street scenes have plenty of dark shadows and grime, while the images of the Canary Islands look incredible. There are only a couple of awkward moments (one of which involves the brutal use of a vice), but in general Marshall keeps the action from getting too gory or too stylized.

duchess ticks all the boxes for gangster movie fans: there are tough characters, plenty of action, shamelessly pithy one-liners, sex and bragging rights. Marshall and Kirk also leave the door open for a possible sequel. Viewers looking for deeper themes or more complex character exploration should check out the crime series set in the 1970s Hotel Cocaine. But those who just want to have fun, who want a throwback to the time when movies weren’t so complicated, or who are fans of Guy Ritchie will get a big kick out of duchess. It brings the British gangster film back into fashion.

“Duchess” will be available digitally and on demand from August 9, 2024.