By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
SPARKS FLY IN THE MAD MONSTER MASH "THE BRIDE!"
With
"The Bride! director and screenwriter
Maggie Gyllenhaal ("The Lost Daughter") breathes new life into the Frankenstein mythos.
The classic story, now set in 1930s Chicago, offers a fresh, reimagined punk-horror twist, and gives the titular Bride (Jessie Buckley, "Hamnet" and "The Incestuous Sisters") a spine of her own and a narrative that's as much about self-discovery as it is about electrical sparks and mad science.
Christian Bale ("Madden") is, predictably, magnetic as Frank, the monster yearning for companionship and maybe a little redemption. Buckley, fresh off her award winning tour-de-force in "Hamnet," brings charm and subtle menace to Ida "The Bride"/Mary Shelley, making her more than just a damsel in distress--or, in this case, distressingly alive thanks to Dr. Cornelia Euphronious (Annette Bening, "Nyad"), the mad scientist who keeps Frank--and the plot--on a lively leash.
Despite bouts of amnesia, Ida is haunted by Shelley's voice and can't escape it from her head. Both Ida and Frank soon find themselves clinging to each other as they go on the run for murder.
Hot in pursuit of the killer monsters are detective Jack Wiles (the always-great Peter Sarsgaard, TV's "Presumed Innocent") and his sharp and beautiful assistant Myrna Mallow (Penelope Cruz, "The Invite").
The supporting cast is a parade of talent as well, led by Jake Gyllenhaal ("Road House" and TV's "Presumed Innocent"), who charms as Ronnie Reed, a popular actor whom Frank idolizes.
Maggie Gyllenhaal clearly has fun flipping the script. Romance, terror, and a dash of social commentary are all on the table here. But for all its ambition, "The Bride!" doesn't quite surprise or seduce the way you might hope. The film occasionally lingers a little too long on stylish tableaux, and some detours feel more curious than compelling.
Even so, it's enjoyable to see Bale in full monster mode and Buckley owning every scene she's in.
Not every return to the Frankenstein legend needs to reinvent the bolt. "The Bride!" proves there's still electricity to be found--even if it doesn't always shock and awe.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Watch This Trailer For
"THE BRIDE!"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
