A rebellion can start with four words: “I’d prefer not to.” This line echoes from the lips of the girl brought back from the dead as she stands against the patriarchal demands of her monster lover. The dawning of strong female protagonists has a new character to add to its list: The Bride.
Directed by the brilliant Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Bride!,” released in early March, is a reimagining of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” novel. The film’s title is a reference to the 1935 movie “The Bride of Frankenstein” without possessive wording attached.
I originally thought the movie should have been released closer to Halloween to highlight its spooky nature, but after watching the film, the release time makes perfect sense: March is Women’s History Month. “The Bride!” is not a simple add-on story to the original tale of “Frankenstein”—it is a film about what it means to be a woman.
In the midst of the drunken glamour of 1930s Chicago, Gyllenhaal creates a bold femme fatale. “The Bride!” opens with a striking, eerie black and white image of the ghost of Mary Shelley (Jessie Buckley) lamenting that she has a new feminist story she has been dying to tell about the Bride of Frankenstein. Stuck in purgatory, Shelley decides she will share her new story by hijacking the body of a young woman, Ida (Jessie Buckley), and getting her killed with the hope that she will later be brought back to life.
Frank (Christian Bale), a romance-seeking monster, uncovers Ida’s body and, with the help of mad scientist Cornelia Euphronious (Annette Bening), shocks Ida back to life. The resurrected woman, known henceforth as The Bride, is still partially inhabited by Mary Shelley’s spirit, acting as a guiding force to tell her story. I thought the inclusion of Mary Shelley as a character in the film was quite unique and added an interesting perspective.
Played by newly-anointed Oscar winner Jessie Buck ley, the character of The Bride is rebellious and fearless, speaking her mind as she fights against a male-dominated society. She refuses to belong to any man and confronts and punishes men who have wronged women. Her desire to get justice for girls who have been abused by a patriarchal society struck a chord with me. If there is any movie that has made me want to start a revolution, it is “The Bride!”
The movie takes us through The Bride’s journey of navigating her own romantic feelings toward Frank while also breaking away from simply being his created partner. It is a perfectly curated film that blends romance, noir and gothic horror to create a powerful motion picture. I also felt Gyllenhaal’s vision for the movie was executed quite successfully.
While the film can be described as a love story between The Bride and Frank, it is also a much more unconventional telling of The Bride’s love for herself. It is rare to see a woman’s relationship with herself centered and honored in such a beautifully raw manner as it is in “The Bride!”
The entire company of the movie is incredible and very cohesive. Buckley’s portrayal of three different characters is breathtaking, and I would not be surprised if she received another Oscar for her performance. Her distinct characterization for each role is profound, especially as she delivers a different accent for each character that created an extremely entertaining viewing experience.
“The Bride!” takes its audiences on a wild adventure of self-discovery and female liberation. I watch movies to escape reality, but “The Bride!” mirrored reality in such a haunting way I was unsure how to feel. If there is one thing I know for sure, it is that “The Bride!” gives us the perfect fuel to start the fire society desperately needs.
Published and digitized April 2026.
