The Bride! — Review
Source: Warner Bros
James Whale’s 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein has long been revered as one of the best Frankenstein films ever made, even better than its predecessor. But, as Maggie Gyllenhaal points out in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, “The movie’s called The Bride of Frankenstein, but she’s not really in it. It’s just a Frankenstein sequel, and she literally doesn’t speak.” With her new film, The Bride!, Gyllenhaal sets out to give the woman the voice, autonomy, and spotlight she deserves. What ensues is a ferocious, bold swing from the filmmaker and a movie unlike any Frankenstein-adjacent film we’ve seen before. The Bride! is as wild, unrestrained, and erratic as the titular character herself.
In 1930s Chicago, a lonely Frankenstein’s monster (Christian Bale) begs Dr. Euphronius (Annette Bening) to create a companion for him. They subsequently bring a murdered woman (Jessie Buckley) back to life, transforming her into the titular bride. But this is more than just a gothic romance. It’s a love letter to cinema, especially classic films ranging from monster movies and science fiction to film noir and lovers-on-the-run stories.
Source: Warner Bros
Jessie Buckley delivers a fiercely committed performance. If The Bride! had been released before last year’s Hamnet, people would probably be hailing this as the best performance of her career so far. But the contrast between her performance in The Bride! and Hamnet makes an excellent showcase for her range and proves she’s one of the strongest actresses working today. Frankenstein’s monster, now known as Frank, feels a bit thinly written, so Christian Bale’s performance pales in comparison. Yet, it’s fitting that this time around, the Bride is the true star of the show, and Frankenstein’s monster takes a bit of a backseat and feels like more of a side character. Gyllenhaal certainly succeeded in flipping the narrative in that regard.
Source: Warner Bros
The Bride! is a monster mash of genres. The romance is reminiscent of Joker: Folie à Deux (2024), but the lovers-on-the-run road movie vibe feels more inspired by Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Natural Born Killers (1994), Badlands (1973), and even Wild at Heart (1990). Detective Jake Wiles (Peter Sarsgaard) and Myrna Mallow (Penélope Cruz) seem like they stepped straight out of a Hollywood hard-boiled film noir as they try to track down the monstrous couple. There are also some surreal visual flourishes, dance sequences, and elements of female empowerment and feminine rage that escalate into a full-blown revolution for radical social change.
Source: Warner Bros
Comparisons to Joker (2019) and Joker: Folie à Deux are inevitable, and The Bride! feels like the film Joker: Folie à Deux was desperately trying to be. It certainly doesn’t help that The Bride! also features work from the same composer and cinematographer. Nonetheless, Hildur Guðnadóttir was the perfect choice to compose the score for this film, and her eerie, ethereal music matches the chaotic tone magnificently. Lawrence Sher’s cinematography is stunning, with a striking use of rich colors and deep shadows. The hair, makeup, and costumes also make this version of the Bride distinct from previous iterations, with her appearance resembling an homage to Brigitte Helm in Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1927).
Source: Warner Bros
Much like the traditional idea of Frankenstein’s monster being stitched together from different body parts, The Bride! feels like a plethora of ideas stitched together. The problem is, there might be too many ideas, and some of the stitches may not be tied tightly enough. In the end, it feels like not all of the ideas coalesce, and the final product is a bit messy and anarchic, just like its protagonist. The film may not be perfect, and the narrative can feel jumbled and haphazard at times, but I was totally on Maggie Gyllenhaal’s wavelength, so I enjoyed the ride regardless of how bumpy it got.
Even if not all of it works, The Bride! succeeds where it matters most by resurrecting a cinematic icon, allowing her to be more than a footnote in someone else’s story, and letting her voice be heard. Rather than simply reanimating the Bride of Frankenstein, Maggie Gyllenhaal completely reclaims the character, granting her agency while crafting a film that’s chaotic, brazen, and wonderfully audacious. It may be ambitious to a fault and too unruly for some viewers, but there’s something undeniably exhilarating about watching a filmmaker take such creative risks. Like its titular character, The Bride! is imperfect, defiant, and electrifying.
The Bride! hits theaters on March 6, 2026.
