MOVIE REVIEW: THE BRIDE

 

In 1930s Chicago, groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious brings a murdered young woman back to life to be a companion for Frankenstein's monster. What happens next is beyond what either of them could ever have imagined.

Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal

Cast: Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal, Penélope Cruz

Release Date: March 6, 2026

Genre: Drama, Horror, Romance, Sci-Fi

Rated R for strong/bloody violent content, sexual content/nudity and language.

Runtime: 2h 7m

Review:

Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! burst on the screen with an anarchic energy, powered by a pair of gloriously unhinged performances from Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale which carries the film first half before losing a hefty amount of its propulsive fervor in the back half of the film.   There is a noticeable spark of energy from the start as the 30’s stylized Chicago setting is used to great effect with Buckley taking center stage with an intriguing dual role.  Buckley’s a real treat as we watch her effortlessly flip back and forth between Ida’s and Mary Shelly’s personas showing an impressive commitment to the role.  She’s generally the most captivating performer onscreen with Christian Bale delivering a more subdued turn for the better part of the film.  They make for a rather fascinating pair as they bounce off each other with such natural ease that it makes the whole thing work even as the film takes some chaotically strange turns.  In lesser performers’ hands, this film would have flown off the rails immediately, but they manage to make the first half immensely watchable and engaging.  The back half of the film starts to lose its luster once the film moves into a pseudo-Bonnie and Clyde mode which feels rather undercooked much like all the well-worn themes it throws onscreen.   There’s a noticeable sense that the script is trying to say something impactful about gender roles, but the concept is so unfocused and superficial that it never really lands the way it should.  The supporting roles are populated with name stars such as Annette Bening, Peter Sarsgaard, Penélope Cruz and Jake Gyllenhaal, which the film never fully takes advantage of by handing them the most generic, one note roles.  Peter Sarsgaard and Penélope Cruz’s detective subplot in particular brings the film to a grinding halt, sapping much of film’s initial energy and the less that’s said about Cruz’s rather unfortunate “Lord Farquaad” haircut the better.  It proves to be a bit frustrating by the time The Bride! comes to an end because you’re left with the feeling that there’s a much better film in there somewhere had it kept a sharper focus.  

B-