Culture
Now Playing: ‘The Bride!’ is a memorable mess of a monster movie
By: Gordon Briggs
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The new film The Bride! is a mess, but what do we mean when we say ‘mess’?
The definition refers to a state of disorder, untidiness, or dirtiness, often referring to a chaotic situation. The movie is chaotic, disorderly, and untidy, but if it’s a mess, it’s a very interesting one.
Specifically, director Maggie Gyllenhaal has made a chaotic film, one that will frustrate some audiences, but, on the whole, entertained me with its feminist spirit, punk sensibilities, and abrasive exploration of the idea of autonomy. In short, I was pleased by the film’s, as one character calls it, “disobedient geometry”.
First, there’s the plot. Set in the ’30s, The Bride! is a romantic horror musical reimagining in which a more civilized Frankenstein’s monster (Christian Bale) has a murdered woman (Jessie Buckley) reanimated as his companion, Ida. However, Ida is not interested in just being a companion or being controlled by anyone. She rebels against being a mere. mate, and soon she and her monstrous partner are on the run from the law, sparking both a violent Bonnie-and-Clyde-style crime spree and a media sensation.
The movie stuck with me because the central couple has a unique dynamic. Christian Bale makes for an interesting monster. Assuming this takes place years after the events of his own creation by Doctor Frankenstein, I like how Frank is not only a fan of ’30s musicals, but plays the monster as a shy man with severe anger management issues.
Specifically, Bale’s monster is a lonely, vulnerable, and intellectually sharp individual. By being an avid fan of movie musicals, The Bride! can visually reference the era of Universal monster movies that spawned it, while also allowing the film to blend ’30s jazz, punk-rock elements, and original songs. Like its monstrous lead characters, the movie doesn’t obey the rules or conventions of any one genre or style. Rather, its aesthetic sensitivities are hybridized and stitched together.
Of course, we cannot separate this film from Jessie Buckley. Her performance doesn’t just include the titular Bride. Partially possessed by the ghost of Mary Shelley, she serves as an agent of chaos, turning her rage into action, usually targeted at men. It’s fitting that her mouth is permanently stained with black ink.
Where Frankenstein’s power comes from brute force, Buckley’s Bride has her power come from her loud, abrasive voice, openly challenging the misogynistic men who control her world, often utilizing the phrase “I would prefer not to” to refuse obedience. Despite her companionship with Bale, she rejects the idea of being Frank’s passive possession. Buckley’s journey centers on taking control of her own destiny rather than fulfilling a role created for her. Throughout the story, she moves from being an anonymous “creature” to seizing her own identity as “The Bride.”
While I do enjoy The Bride!, the production is not without its flaws. While I admire much of the film’s ambition, it sometimes feels like there are too many ideas and plotlines (including a subplot involving a detective played by Peter Sarsgaard that never fully pays off), all competing for our attention. Plus, the film’s climax is too exposition-heavy and goes on a bit too long.
Still, despite its flaws, I admire the risks the film took and its willingness to alienate its audience and forge its own path to create something dark, disturbing, and different. It’s a cult film in the making.
★★★