The Bride! (2026)

DIRECTED BY

Maggie Gyllenhaal

STARRING

Jessie Buckley - Ida/Mary Shelley

Christian Bale - Frank

Annette Bening - Dr. Cornelia Euphronious

Peter Sarsgaard - Jake Wiles

Penélope Cruz - Myrna Malloy

Jake Gyllenhaal - Ronnie Reed

Genre - Horror/Crime/Romance/Monsters

Running Time - 126 Minutes

PLOT

A lonely Frankenstein travels to 1930s Chicago to ask groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious to create a companion for him. The two revive a murdered young woman and The Bride is born. But what ensues is beyond what either of them imagined.

REVIEW

A modern interpretation of one of the greatest Universal Monster features of all time, Maggie Gyllenhaal’s version of THE BRIDE! is inspired by 1935’s BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, 1967’s BONNIE AND CLYDE, a few Golden Age of Hollywood gangster movies, as well as a JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX vibe that can’t be ignored. Actress Gyllenhaal really swings for the fences as a director for her first big-budgeted feature, going all out and throwing so many ideas at the wall while working with what sticks. Unfortunately, this becomes troublesome for THE BRIDE! as its narrative feels all over the place throughout its runtime. Is it a monster horror film? Is it a gangster film? Is it a romantic drama? Is it a musical? Is it too message heavy on feminism and misogyny? I think if THE BRIDE! had more of a focus with its screenplay [also written by Gyllenhaal], this film would have been better received by a mainstream audience who aren’t ready or willing to accept anything this experimental. It’s tonally all over the place, which might make it tough for many to connect with.

That being said, the cast is pretty great in THE BRIDE!. Future Oscar Winner Jessie Buckley is phenomenal as the title character, playing a dual role as both the victim “Ida” and author Mary Shelley, who possesses Ida’s body to experience what it would feel like to be the Bride of Frankenstein. Buckley plays both roles quite differently, sometimes at the same time, changing accents and dialects that’s both jarring and awe-inspiring all at once. She’s all in on these characters and you can tell she’s having a lot of fun playing both ladies. No matter what one might think of this film, we can all agree that Buckley is fantastic here.

Same goes to Christian Bale as Frank, who plays the famous monster in a quiet manner until he’s provoked, almost childlike compared to the more adult and confident Bride. Bale gets to sing, dance, have action moments and share romantic chemistry with Buckley. It’s one of his many quirky roles that works well in his favor, as he’s fun to watch.

The rest of the supporting cast is good as well. Maggie Gyllenhaal brings in her husband, Peter Sarsgaard as a detective who may be connected with Ida. She also brings in her brother Jake in a smaller role as an actor Frank is infatuated with. Penelope Cruz holds her own as Sarsgaard’s investigative assistant who seems more capable for the job than he is. And Annette Benning is wonderful as Dr. Cornelia Euphronious, a new mad scientist who brings The Bride to life.

Despite the messy screenplay, Gyllenhaal does visualize a beautiful looking film that feels both retro and modern at the same time. Colors pop, the special effects and make-up are on point, and the action-oriented sequences have energy and tension. I’m not sure if any studio will give her another $90 million to play with as a filmmaker after the commercial disappointment of THE BRIDE!, but Gyllenhaal definitely has a unique voice and a clear vision of the type of movies she probably wants to continue making. So I’m very interested in what she does next.

THE FINAL HOWL

THE BRIDE! isn’t for everyone and I understand why a majority of people seem to dislike it. But this is everything that JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX should have been as Gyllenhaal has the balls to make something outside the mainstream, even if it doesn’t completely work in the end. I would rather see filmmakers think outside the box and make their personal art than directors who want to play it safe for the quick cash. THE BRIDE! is the type of movie that cinema needs more of, even if audiences won’t embrace it right away. But I definitely see this becoming a cult favorite in the future.

SCORE

3 Howls Outta 4

(7 out of 10)