Duchess: A gritty but derivative crime thriller with Charlotte Kirk’s standout performance

The opening scene of Duchess sets the tone: Charlotte Kirk’s Scarlett Monaghan, bruised and bloodied, stares down a room full of armed men in a dingy underground lair. It’s a bold, visceral introduction to a film that wants to be seen as a fresh take on the gritty British crime thriller. But freshness is relative, and Duchess (2024), directed by Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, The Descent), is a film that struggles to escape the long shadow of its influences.

Marshall has crafted a revenge-driven action flick centered around Kirk’s working-class anti-heroine. Scarlett Monaghan begins as a small-time crook drawn into the treacherous world of diamond smuggling after a deal goes wrong, leaving her for dead. From there, she transforms into a formidable force in the underworld, seeking vengeance against those who betrayed her. The film’s premise is simple enough—a woman scorned takes back what’s hers—but its execution is where things get messy.

What works best in Duchess is Kirk’s performance and the film’s willingness to place a woman at the center of its violent, morally ambiguous world. Kirk co-wrote the screenplay, and it shows in Scarlett’s authenticity—a character who feels grounded despite the outrageous situations she finds herself in. The action sequences are well-choreographed, particularly a brutal fight scene in an abandoned warehouse that showcases Kirk’s physicality and the film’s commitment to visceral stakes.

The supporting cast, including Philip Winchester as her conflicted love interest Robert McNaughton and Colm Meaney as her father Frank Monaghan, provide solid grounding. However, none of them leave much of an impression beyond their archetypal roles. The real strength lies in the dynamic between Scarlett and Hoji Fortuna’s Billy Baraka, a rival smuggler whose chemistry with Kirk crackles with tension. Their scenes together are among the film’s highlights, offering a glimpse of what Duchess could have been with more nuanced character development.

But Duchess stumbles when it tries too hard to emulate its influences. The film’s pacing is uneven, lingering too long on exposition-heavy scenes that slow down the momentum built by its action set pieces. Marshall’s direction often feels derivative—echoes of Guy Ritchie’s rapid-fire dialogue and John McTiernan’s high-stakes heist sequences are evident but lack the same sharp wit or tight plotting.

The film also suffers from a tendency to prioritize style over substance. The cinematography, while visually striking at times, relies too heavily on shaky cam during action scenes, making it difficult to follow the chaos. The score, while serviceable, doesn’t elevate the material in any meaningful way. These choices underscore a fundamental issue with Duchess: it’s a film that wants to be taken seriously as a fresh take on the crime thriller but ultimately plays it too safe.

Thematically, Duchess touches on familiar ground—the struggle of a working-class woman fighting against a system stacked against her, the moral ambiguity of revenge, and the corrupting influence of power. These are themes that have been explored more effectively in other films, such as Fish Tank or Lady Macbeth, which delve deeper into the psychological complexities of their protagonists.

In terms of genre fit, Duchess is a solid entry in the crime thriller category but doesn’t bring anything particularly new to the table. It’s a film that will appeal to fans of gritty, action-packed narratives with strong female leads, but it lacks the originality or depth to stand out in a crowded field.

The press release for Duchess describes it as a fresh take on a genre we all love—the crime thriller—popularized by filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and Guy Ritchie. However, Duchess falls short of this lofty goal. It’s a film that has moments of genuine excitement and a protagonist worth rooting for, but it’s held back by its derivative structure and uneven execution.

Ultimately, Duchess is a mixed bag. It has the potential to be a compelling exploration of revenge and redemption, but it’s let down by its reliance on familiar tropes and lack of originality. Kirk’s performance is a highlight, and the action sequences are well-executed, but these elements aren’t enough to elevate the film above its peers.

For those looking for a straightforward, entertaining crime thriller with a strong female lead, Duchess may hit the spot.