Duchess Review – Female-Driven Revenge Thriller Delivers Big Entertainment

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Category: UK A&E, Lifestyle, Culture

Published on Monday, 05 August 2024 15:36

Written by Janet Walker

Duchess, from Vertigo Releasing, presents a female-driven revenge thriller, as a small-time petty thief becomes involved in the high-end and treacherous world of diamond trading, and ends up left for dead when a deal goes wrong.

We first meet Duchess, played by Charlotte Kirk, when the film opens. Standing in a black leather corset, with flaming red hair, she is the treat for a Russian enforcer, Victor, played by Yan Tual. Just as she has lured him into the belief that the night is going to go his way, she delivers an incapacitating blow, and from the shadows, her mate, Danny, played by Sean Pertwee, comes out of the closet and whips a garrote around his neck. The two men struggle, Victor jumps out the window to save himself, but not before Duchess is able to unload two rounds. She walks through the hotel, covered in blood, shotgun ready.

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Suddenly, the scene stops and, as the Duchess explains in voice-over, to get to this point it is better to begin at the beginning. And now the film opens with Scarlett before she becomes the Duchess, a small-time thief, lifting wallets from unsuspecting patrons at the local bar.

On this night, she and her best friend, Michelle, played by Mellissa Laycy, are working the room. Together, one distracts, and the other lifts. Only, she isn't as sly as she thinks, as she has caught the attention of a patron, Robert, played by Philip Winchester, who along with his two loyal associates, Danny, and Billy Baraka, played by Hoji Fortuna, are finalizing arrangement for an upcoming shipment.

As Robert tries to put the moves on her, Scarlett shoots him down. She explains it later to her brother, Dave, played by Alex Morgan, she just isn't used to people being nice, and Robert is nice, and to her a gentleman. Of course, the path to true love never runs smoothly and after shooting him down, she thinks he's gone. Little does she know, that once she pushes him away his interest skyrockets, and he has his associate keep tabs on her. Unfortunately, she is beaten up by her protection and she ends up in the hospital, and Robert arrives at the hospital and Scarlett never looks back.

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Soon, as the film says, bruises heal, time moves on, and we find out his business is moving diamonds. And the stone he recently bought is worth $15 million. Enough for them to leave, and enough for every other thief in high-end jewel thief on the continent to hunt them down.

Soon, we meet Charlie, played by Stephanie Beacham, a high-end diamond broker, who steals every scene she is in. We understand she has risen to the top in a dangerous trade, and traitors are dealt with harshly. For tonight, her theatrics are for all to understand the consequences of betrayal.

Robert, his men, and the Duchess head off to the Canary Islands awaiting the next shipment. From out of the blue, the factory that processes the loose stones, along with Robert and Billy is the target of a hit. Now it is the second time the operation has been targeted. With a business as lucrative as diamonds, no one is sure if it is an internal power struggle or an outside hit.

This ushers in the final act and where we catch up from the beginning.

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Duchess is a hard-charging, badass, revenge thriller. A well-told, entertaining, action drama, as our lead swears retribution, and even though some early fight scenes were a bit clunky, and could have been better staged, overall, the film is layered, and compelling, with unexpected twists.

The dialogue is well-written and presents the two leading women, Charlotte Kirk and Stephanie Beacham, with unashamedly strong scene-stealing moments and monologues. It is also important to note that there are scenes of torture.

Filled with intrigue, intense action, and high drama, Duchess will be in select UK cinemas on August 9, 2024, and available on digital download from August 12, 2024. See it.

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Country: UK.

Language: English.

Runtime: 113 minutes.

Theatrical Release Date: August 9, 2024.

Digital Release Date: August 12, 2024.

Director: Neil Marshall.

Producer: Emily Corcoran, Kristyna Sellnerova.

Writers: Neil Marshall, Charlotte Kirk, Simon Farr.

Cast: Charlotte Kirk, Philip Winchester, Colm Meaney, Hoji Fortuna, Colin Egglesfield, Stephanie Beacham, Sean Pertwee, Yan Tual, Mellissa Laycy, Noris Martinex, David Chevers, Harvey Dean, Judy Donovan, Bore Buika, Alex Morgan, Pau Poch, Giada Falzoni, Ignacio Herraez, Jota Jota Ramos, Ivan Hermes, Antonio Coman, Carl Briedis, Annine Ngesang, Borja Saavedra.