The Bride! 4K UHD Review
“The Bride!” is a colossal misfire.
Based on Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” and “Bride of Frankenstein,” 2026’s “The Bride!” is set in 1930s Chicago. The story begins with the ghost of Mary Shelley possessing a woman named Ida (yes, you read that right) who dies in an accident after revealing secrets about a crime boss (Lupino). The story cuts to Frank (Frankenstein’s Monster) meeting a scientist (Dr. Euphronious). Frank is in need of a companion and the body of Ida is chosen for the resurrection experiment. Ida is brought to life, but her memory is not intact which leads Frank to making up lies that she is his bride. The two hit the town and wind up causing a bit of chaos (and a few murders) leading them to become a wanted couple. 2 Police Detectives (Jake and Myrna) are on their trail alongside Lupino’s henchman Clyde (who was present at Ida’s murder but now has to dispatch her again to cover his boss).
Writer/director Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Bride!” is very reminiscent of “Joker: Folie à Deux” in many respects. Both films were romantic big budget WB projects with musical numbers that took big risks, were critically divisive, and flopped at the box office. Both films also happen to be cinematic trainwrecks (which could cause them to become cult films in the future).
As someone who treasures “Bride of Frankenstein,” this new take by Gyllenhaal is a real head scratcher. You’ve got weird stuff like Mary Shelley’s ghost, 30s musical inspired moments, a “Bonnie and Clyde” style storyline, and some Bride and Frank designs that look like something out of “Suicide Squad” (the look of the Bride with the black blood stained face is…a choice to be sure). None of this meshes well together and the tone is truly all over the place. I’m all for seeing a big cinematic gamble like this, but it never pays off.
One would think the stacked cast would at least help the film, but it doesn’t. Jessie Buckley just won an Oscar for her work in “Hamnet,” but with “The Bride!” she gives the worst performance of her career. The only way to truly describe it is that it is the purest case of overacting one can witness. Christian Bale fares better here as the lonely and scarred Frank. The rest of the supporting cast featuring Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, John Magaro, Jake Gyllenhaal and Penélope Cruz is serviceable, but there’s only so much they can do with the chaotic script.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 2.39:1 and 1.43:1 2160p. How does it look? The vibrant colors and stylistic choices shine on 4K.
Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it look? From the gunplay to the musical moments, the Atmos track delivers.
Extras:
* Digital copy
* “Stitching Together The Bride!”- Interviews with Maggie Gyllenhaal, Christian Bale, and Jessie Buckley mixed with film clips, set footage and character and story discussions.
* “Designing The Look” is all about the character’s looks, make-up, and prosthetics.
* “The Muse And The Reimagined Monster”- A character focused featurette.
* “The Bride Party” revolves around the big cast.
No comments yet.
Share This Blog
Robert Ham
dmanderson
Andrea
nicklyons1
DVD Corner 
Leave a comment