The Bride! ★★★

Released: 6 March 2026

Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal

Starring: Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale

The popularity in exploring classical mythical monsters will never cease to be popular. In the media they are thrilling to the eye, and allow audiences to feel nervous, scared and excited about the little possibility of them being real. Mary Shelley’s 1818 gothic novel Frankenstein has been adapted over 400 times in feature films since its release. Last year Guillermo del Toro brought to the table his version, starring Jacob Eldordi as his chosen misunderstood creature. Following on from her 2021 directorial The Lost Daughter, Maggie Gyllenhaal returns with The Bride!, an entirely original and punk rock version of Shelley’s work.

Set in 1930s Chicago, The Bride! Starts in an unconventional manner with the concept of Mary Shelley (Jessie Buckley) acting as the narrator as she writes a sequel to Frankenstein – the version she initially wanted to write. To bring her vision to life, she chooses Ida (Buckley, also), a woman who is brutally murdered, to be her protagonist. Frankenstein aka Frank (Christian Bale) is lonely, and feeling like an outcast in a society that won’t accept him. He enlists Dr. Cornelia Euphronius (Annette Bening) to bring to life a ‘monster’ companion to help ease his century of loneliness. Ida is chosen and raised from the dead to become Frank’s bride. What transpires is an epic and violent love story filled with rageful murders, a Bonnie and Clyde like police chase and a radical social movement.

Gyllenhaal’s direction on The Bride! Is a complete one-eighty to The Lost Daughter. The film has a dark, gothic edge and intensity to it, whilst also acting as a love letter to cinema. During hard times Frank takes himself to go see a film and we see that becoming a safe haven for him. In reality, it’s a clever move in highlighting the mental benefits cinema has on our health and acknowledging the ongoing issues with making sure they remain an important part of showcasing art in an age of streaming.

As the bride herself, Buckley again proves she is electrifying in any role she takes on. In the midst of her awards season campaign for Hamnet, the film is such an interesting release in the midst of her current winning glory – ultimately showcasing she’s the real deal. In comparison to Elordi’s version of Frankenstein, Bale’s take offers a more classic look in terms of physical characteristics – bruised up, staple looking incisions and so on. He’s a great version, offering a fresh yet classical take on the creature. Together, Buckley and Bale have a hypnotic chemistry, allowing their characters to really dig deeper into the wild side of their love story.

It’s hard to ignore the feeling that something is missing in The Bride! Perhaps a wedding ceremony? Something to make the title seem an appropriate fit, and arguably it could have been iconic to include to coincide with Buckley’s crazy and chaotic performance. That being said, Gyllenhaal really stepped up her game in adapting a classic and giving it a vibrant revamp without losing its core, monstrous qualities.