After more than 100 years of existence, Frankenstein's monster (Christian Bale) is struggling with loneliness. So he heads to Chicago to see Doctor Euphronius (Annette Bening), who he asks to make him a companion. They select a murdered woman (Jessie Buckley), and after bringing her back to life, the reanimated pair go on a manic adventure together. One that sparks a police manhunt, and something of a social revolution.
Maggie Gyllenhaal's bold re-imagining of The Bride of Frankenstein is a little bit messy. A mishmash of genres and styles, in much the same way that Frankenstein's monster was once assembled. It stands to reason, however, that at least some of this messiness is intentional. And while some of it doesn't work, the parts that do are at the very least, rather good. The look of the film, for instance, is incredible. Stunning, even. It's all very 1930's, but met with some deliciously garish and gritty punk stylings. As well as a beautiful shock of bleached blonde hair, and a striking orange satin dress.
But this is not just about style. No, Gyllenhaal has something to say with The Bride!. And she's not afraid to shout it out. There are things in this movie that show what it is like to be a woman in this world, and Gyllenhaal is unflinching in her approach. Will this be branded by some as extremist feminism? Most certainly. Which they will undoubtedly use as an excuse to avoid the film entirely, and it will be both their loss and ours. For The Bride! offers an important perspective on issues that have affected women for far too long. Subplots involving gangsters with ties to the Bride pre-death, and the cops pursuing the couple (Penélope Cruz & Peter Sarsgaard) not only tie into this, they are a source of great intrigue and tension. The trouble is, Gyllenhaal also tries to do too much, and at times it can feel like the movie doesn't quite know what it's meant to be.
What begins as a science experiment and a search for companionship - with Bening's delightfully enthusiastic but apprehensive Dr. Euphronius - quickly becomes this crazy Bonnie & Clyde-like adventure. With the Bride looking to have a little fun and maybe grasp some semblance of identity, while Frank - as he's affectionately known - is simply trying to enjoy life not alone, even as things are getting away from him. Jessie Buckley is magnificent in the titular role, bringing innocence and curiosity to the Bride, as well as a sense of being unleashed. She's also very good in a side role as *the* Mary Shelley, even though the Frankenstein author's presence within the narrative makes no sense. This includes her narration and apparent possession of the Bride, both of which do little more than derail the movie.
Bale is also on top form as Frank. Even under all those incredible prosthetics that turn him into Dr. Frankenstein's creation, we can still appreciate all that he is bringing to this reserved and troubled character. I can't help wondering if a scene in which Frank meets his Hollywood hero (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) was a little like being through the looking glass. However, as he and the Bride travel about the northeast US, it is his more selfish motivations that are particularly eye-opening, as he does what he feels he has to in order to keep her in his life. Gyllenhaal demonstrating that it's not just violence that women are faced with. And yet it can also be quite fun watching their relationship grow, as they almost unknowingly challenge the status quo. Which is where that messy filmmaking approach pays off, as it makes the pair rather unpredictable. Their anarchic and sometimes childish activities may not always be morally defensible, but they can be immensely satisfying, while raising some valid questions about our society.
A bold re-imagining of The Bride of Frankenstein. Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Dr. Frankenstein-like approach might not always work, but when it does, The Bride! is a wild and unpredictable ride. One that happens to bring with it an important message.
7/10
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