Duchess is Streaming Success on Amazon Freevee Despite Terrible Rotten Tomatoes Score

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As a long-time cinema enthusiast who has spent countless hours immersed in the action genre, I must confess that my expectations were not exactly met by “Duchess”. Having grown up on a steady diet of Jason Statham and Guy Ritchie classics, as well as the masterful storytelling of Quentin Tarantino, I found “Duchess” to be a disappointing fourth-rate imitation.

This movie, once dismissed by many as the dwelling place for subpar or overlooked action flicks, is now gaining renewed attention due to its availability on Amazon’s Freevee platform. Originally panned by critics as a “fourth-rate imitation” of Jason Statham and Guy Ritchie’s best works, as well as Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill, it received a poor 14% Tomatometer rating upon its August release. However, its current availability for free streaming has propelled it into the Top 10 most watched globally on Freevee.

The film “Duchess” follows Scarlett Monaghan’s transformation from a petty criminal to a merciless seeker of vengeance. After a botched diamond deal leaves her for dead, Scarlett recovers and embarks on a personal quest to mete out justice against those who have wronged her. The intricate plot draws heavily on other films, particularly action movies in the style of Statham, which is often highlighted in reviews as the blueprint.

Director Neil Marshall, who co-wrote the screenplay for “Duchess” alongside lead actress Charlotte Kirk, has a notable history in filmmaking. Previously, he was behind the camera for movies like “The Descent,” “Dog Soldiers,” and “Hellboy (2019),” and directed episodes for hit TV series such as “Westworld” and “Game of Thrones.” However, “Duchess” has not received high praise from critics. In fact, the Movie Madness Podcast’s review stated, “When you’re attempting fourth-rate Guy Ritchie imitations, it’s time to call it quits three rates ago.

Duchess is a Female-Led Take of Many Generic Action Movies

In the realm of action films, there’s always a fresh batch of movies, even when it seems like we’ve exhausted all innovative ideas. Yet, storytelling can be reinvented with unique perspectives and unexpected twists. Unfortunately, Duchess doesn’t quite deliver on this front, but sometimes, audiences are lenient towards films that emphasize their scantily-clad main character while she combats the villains in an exaggerated manner.

The movie faced criticism from experienced critics like Brian Tallerico from RogerEbert.com, who argued that it relied too heavily on graphic violence (torture porn) to advance its story, instead of focusing on a more complex plot and character development. On the other hand, audiences gave the film a 64% approval rating, despite some critics labeling it as a rehash of early Guy Ritchie and Jason Statham movies.

The Duchess movie earned approximately $60,000 at the box office, primarily from its $45,000 earnings in Russia during its cinematic release. With an open-ended storyline, there’s a chance we haven’t seen the last of Scarlett. Sequels are a favorite among action fans, and a robust streaming performance could potentially lead to a sequel in the future.

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2024-11-05 03:32