Is it still “till death do us part” if they were already dead to begin with?
By: Amanda Musto
If you thought the story of “Frankenstein” was tragic, wait until you hear his bride’s tale of loss, lies, and manipulation as she showed the world that even men brought back from the dead suck.
Over 300 years after Mary Shelley rocked the world with her gothic classic, Maggie Gyllenhaal brought Mary back to tell the story of how The Bride got her name and showed she will never be a kept woman.
Gyllenhaal’s creation of this story was spectacular and she did a wonderful job in the way she gave The Bride such a strong voice. The choice to heavily mirror Bonnie and Clyde with The Bride and Frankenstein as well as to set the film in the 1930s was brilliant. In a time when women weren’t able to speak out or be loud, she let The Bride scream her truth. She let The Bride run rampant like Bonnie and pave her way as a woman who works with her man, not a woman that needs her man. I rooted for her the whole film.
When it came to the cast, I couldn’t have picked better actors. Christian Bale (“American Psycho,” “Batman Begins”) and Jessie Buckley’s (“Hamnet”) performances were electric. I was enthralled from the moment it started. Bale’s portrayal as Frankenstein was phenomenal and showed Frankie as a tenderhearted guy instead of a terrible monster. I said ‘aww’ over and over because he was just the sweetest thing, minus the slight manipulation and lies towards The Bride, but most of it was out of love so it’s a double edged sword. Buckley blew me away as both Mary Shelley and Ida / The Bride, truly a powerhouse actress in this film. I could feel her raw emotions throughout the movie and rode the rollercoaster with her, even shed a tear or two.
Alongside Bale and Buckley were showstoppers that included Penelope Cruz (“Blow”), Jake Gyllenhaal (“Brokeback Mountain,” “Donnie Darko”), Peter Sarsgaard (“Flightplan,” “Orphan”), and Julianne Hough (“Safe Haven,” “Dancing With The Stars”). Each actor gave great performances and nailed their roles, even Hough with her small dance cameos. The cast meshed very well together and each embodied their roles and produced perfect chemistry with one another. The cast seemed to have been picked meticulously and I think each person was the right choice.
For the ones who worked behind the scenes to get the sets, costumes, makeup, prosthetics, etc done all deserve a round of applause as well. If you told me Bale was actually stitched together like that and the guy who got curb stomped really had his skull caved in, I would believe you. The film had an authentic feel to it that sent the audience back in time thanks to the costumes and sets, along with the fact that a woman officer was too taboo to be taken seriously and a woman couldn’t speak her mind without being slapped down a flight of stairs.
I found the addition of Mary Shelley throughout the film to be a fun twist that pays homage to the woman that started the “Frankenstein” universe. The dark and twisted demeanor of Shelley fit perfectly for the vibe of it all as well.
The only two critiques I could make would be that the film felt to drag at some points just because it was over two hours and it could have been cut down a little bit. I also wasn’t a fan of the intense strobe light club scene that seemed to last forever.
I knew this film would be great and it did not disappoint and I’m so glad The Bride finally shared her story and took power of her name.
