Duchess Movie Review – Neil Marshall’s Odd-Paced Actioner Lands A Few Blows

Neil Marshall’s Duchess recreates a tale as old as crime. Small-time con artist and thief Scarlett (Charlotte Kirk) falls head over heels for big-time gangster and diamond smuggler Rob (Philip Winchester), who dubs her the Duchess. It all goes to hell, though, and Scarlett needs to find her own footing and streak of ruthlessness to get the sweet taste of revenge. Served up in between are generous portions of gunfire, action, humour, and dumb goons, of course.

One might be fooled into thinking Duchess plays out like a cockney crime movie as if it’s something out of Guy Ritchie’s box of tricks, especially in terms of how Scarlett narrates the story and every main character experiences a quirky voiceover to introduce them. However, Marshall weaves left when everyone presumes he’ll go right, borrowing from a plethora of influences across the crime caper and action genres. It results in a number of unexpected twists and turns, but the downside is it degenerates into an oddly paced film with an overstuffed first act and a disjointed finale.

The Story Takes Too Long To Kick Off

Neil Marshall, Charlotte Kirk, and Simon Farr’s script keeps the story simple. Scarlett finds herself in a world she isn’t used to and meeting people far more dangerous than she has ever encountered, so she needs to adjust, survive, then thrive. From a location perspective, it hops from rainy, ol’ England to the sunshine of Tenerife, bringing with it a shake-up of the atmosphere that’s intended to disarm the audience. Yet, while this adds to the dynamic palette of Duchess, it derails the story’s pacing. The big event – the catalyst that sends Scarlett off on her quest – only occurs about 60% into the movie. This means there’s less time for the actual meat and potatoes – her revenge – here.

That said, no one can fault the intent. The film wants to show the audience how much Scarlett and Rob mean to each other, so it uses more than half the screen time to reinforce the notion that this is the great love of both their lives. It’s a delicate balance; unfortunately, it leans too heavily in one direction that harms the other elements of Duchess as it degenerates into a rushed actioner.

When The Movie Hits, It Hits Good

Action-wise, Neil Marshall and cinematographer Simon Rowling inject pure dynamite into the scenes, choosing to use practical and movie magic effects to get the desired outcome rather than pump this full of CGI cyanide. It’s tough to deny the bruising ’70s swagger to the action sequences, as the characters rely more in the art of fisticuffs and melees rather than outright martial arts mayhem. There’s a claustrophobic elevator fight scene, in particular, that moves briskly and keeps hearts in throats, because one wrong move here and it’s curtains for the wrong characters. It feels real and intense, adding a whole level of believability to what’s on screen.

As the main character and heroine of the story, Charlotte Kirk’s Scarlett receives the bulk of the screen time. Scarlett is never presented as a helpless damsel in distress or the stereotypical tough cookie who needs love to soften her shell. Instead, her arc requires her to take back control when her world is turned upside down and become even more badass. Kirk carries this attitude like a mantra but still finds the right moments to showcase the vulnerability, self-doubt, and concern her character experiences on this emotional journey.

Philip Winchester convinces as Scarlett’s love interest, Rob, perfectly playing the gangster with a heart of gold. However, it’s Sean Pertwee who steals every scene as Danny, one of Rob’s guys and muscle. Anyone familiar with Pertwee’s filmography understands his quiet charisma and ability to make much out of nothing – honestly, he carried Gotham on his shoulders for nearly five seasons as only a supporting actor – and he works wonders in his limited time here. Similarly, special mention needs to go to Hoji Fortuna, who plays another one of Rob’s hired guns known as Baraka, as he synergizes with Pertwee’s Danny and they play off each other to outstanding effect.

Is Duchess Worth Watching?

Duchess pays homage to a number of crime films while also taking its own path in an attempt to do something new. Sometimes, it works; sometimes, it doesn’t. However, it deserves credit for not spitting out another pretentious Guy Ritchie clone. In the end, the film achieves what it sets out to do: Entertain. Sure, it has its moments of spectacle, but don’t expect to remember it the next day or ever watch it again.

Also read our The Beast Within movie review.