The Bride! Review: A Punk Revival That Fails to Deliver Feminist Depth
In Maggie Gyllenhaal's latest directorial venture, The Bride!, Jessie Buckley takes on the iconic role of Frankenstein's bride, reimagined with a punk edge and a voice full of rage. This experimental film, which reunites Buckley with her The Lost Daughter director, aims to correct a cinematic wrong from the 1935 classic Bride of Frankenstein, where the character lived only briefly and never spoke. However, despite its ambitious premise and stellar cast, including Christian Bale and Annette Bening, the movie struggles to coalesce its ideas into a coherent feminist statement.
Jessie Buckley's Explosive Performance
Jessie Buckley delivers a powerhouse performance as The Bride, transforming into a whirlwind of female fury. With bleached eyebrows and intense brown eyes, she commands the screen, embodying a character who rips out tongues, brandishes pistols, and challenges the natural order. Buckley's ability to convey raw emotion, as seen in her Oscar-winning role in Hamnet, is on full display here, but this time, it's anger that takes center stage. Her portrayal is visceral and captivating, pulling viewers into a world where repressed feelings erupt in what Gyllenhaal terms a "brain attack."
A Chaotic Narrative and Missed Opportunities
Set in 1930s Chicago, The Bride! swaps Gothic settings for a steampunk aesthetic, with Sandy Powell's costumes and Hildur Guðnadóttir's score adding layers of style. Yet, the film becomes distracted by its own flashiness, incorporating subplots like a detective story led by Peter Sarsgaard and Penélope Cruz that feel underdeveloped. This clutter dilutes the core message about female rage, leaving audiences questioning what the film truly aims to say. While it convincingly depicts anger as a righteous rebellion, it lacks the depth to explore this theme meaningfully.
Feminist Ambitions Fall Short
Gyllenhaal attempts to give voice to a historically silent character, but her approach raises questions about feminist authenticity. By having Buckley also play Mary Shelley, who possesses The Bride and spits out bitter verse, the film discredits Shelley's introverted nature and pride in her work. This choice undermines the real Shelley's legacy and ignores that the original novel already addressed the horror of resurrecting a woman without consent. Ironically, it was male filmmakers who completed the bride's story in the 1935 film, leaving her voiceless—a point The Bride! overlooks in favor of playful nods to Frankenstein's cinematic history.
Supporting Cast and Playful Elements
Christian Bale shines as Frank, a creature grappling with his violent tendencies, in a performance reminiscent of Boris Karloff. The film includes whimsical touches, such as a scene where Bale's character sings "Puttin' on the Ritz" in homage to Young Frankenstein, showcasing Gyllenhaal's imaginative flair. However, these ideas feel disjointed, much like Frankenstein's own creations, failing to stitch together into a cohesive whole. The result is a visually striking but narratively baffling experiment that doesn't live up to its feminist aspirations.
Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and starring Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Penélope Cruz, The Bride! is rated 15 and runs for 127 minutes. It releases in cinemas from 6 March 2026.
