In the adrenaline-charged action-adventure The Bluff, Priyanka Chopra Jonas stars as Ercell “Bloody Mary” Bodden, a former pirate forced to confront her violent past to protect her family. Director Frank E. Flowers spoke with our Peter Gray to discuss bringing the Cayman Islands’ rarely seen history to life on screen, the meticulous authenticity behind the film’s sets and stunts, and how Priyanka’s fierce, grounded performance challenged traditional portrayals of women in action cinema. From the sun-drenched bluffs to the treacherous Skull Cave, Flowers reveals how childhood memories of Pirates Week inspired the film’s immersive, high-stakes world.
I’m a fan of action movies, and female-led action films are always exciting. Some of the one-shots in this were incredible. I wanted to talk about pirates, myth, and reclamation, and as someone from the Cayman Islands, did you feel protective about how this world was going to be portrayed?
Definitely. It was all about authenticity – not just the sets, history, or culture. Priyanka (Chopra Jonas) and I went down there and met with elders who taught us things like thatch rope making, and we explored museum artifacts. It became about cultural saturation while still serving the story – how these pirates operated and wreaked havoc. As a kid, I’d watch Pirates Week with my dad, and the pirates “owned” the island for a week. That mix of fear and excitement really shaped the tone we wanted for the film.
Speaking of Priyanka, her character is both naturally beautiful and physically ferocious. Did you intentionally frame her in ways that challenge how women are usually shot in action films?
Absolutely. Priyanka is a badass, she’s a warrior, a mom, a producer. She’s willing to get dirty. We wanted the action to feel real. There are scenes where she’s rolling in the dirt, fighting men twice her size. It’s authentic – she sweats, bleeds, and fights through it. It’s not glam; it’s grounded in reality.
Was there a moment on set when you felt like you’d captured that childhood memory of Pirates Week?
Yes, the first day I walked onto Bloody Bay on Straddy (Stradbroke Island), where we built the town. I got chills seeing it all come to life. Phil Ivey, our production designer, built every detail meticulously, even things that might never appear on camera. And in the invasion sequence, we mixed muskets with early revolvers, so the clash of firearm technology felt magical and real. That day, I felt we had recreated a world that no longer exists.
The film is visceral, dirty, and fun. It’s so great to see action like this again, classic pirate films done right. Thank you for your time.
Thank you. Give Australia my love. I can’t wait to come back and make more movies there.
The Bluff is available to stream on Prime Video from February 25th, 2026.
