Maggie Gyllenhaal's 'The Bride!' is criticized as a derivative feminist horror film that feels like a DC Comics property
Jessie Buckley delivers an 'anguished scream of a performance' but the character is described as one-dimensional
The film features connections to Warner Bros.' DC properties with same cinematographer and composer as 'Joker'
Despite a $80 million budget and star-studded cast, the film fails to deliver compelling chemistry or narrative depth
📖 Full Retelling
Maggie Gyllenhaal's feminist horror film 'The Bride!' starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale faced harsh criticism in a March 4, 2026 IndieWire review by Ryan Lattanzio, who described the movie as a derivative 'Joker'-fied folie-à-deux that feels conspicuously tailored to align with Warner Bros.' DC properties rather than standing on its own artistic merit. The review criticizes Gyllenhaal's ambitious follow-up to 'The Lost Daughter' for its one-dimensional portrayal of female rage, comparing it unfavorably to other complex female-led films of the era. Set in 1930s Chicago and New York, the film reimagines the Frankenstein story from the Bride's perspective, featuring Buckley as Ida, a woman resurrected by Dr. Frankenstein (Bale) who then embarks on a violent spree across America. Lattanzio notes that despite the film's feminist intentions, it ultimately presents a protagonist who is 'hardly complicated and instead sustained by nothing but a routinely stacked chord of anger, pain, and more pain.' The review particularly highlights the film's apparent connection to Warner Bros.' cinematic universe, noting the involvement of 'Joker' cinematographer Lawrence Sher and composer Hildur Guðnadóttir, suggesting the studio may be positioning this as another DC property. Despite its reported $80 million budget and star-studded cast including Annette Bening and Penélope Cruz, the film is described as failing to deliver on its potential, with the reviewer noting that 'Buckley and Bale's chemistry has no juice from the start' and that the production feels 'over-trust in screen tests' that may have sanitized the material.
🏷️ Themes
Feminist Horror, Cinematic Universe Building, Film Criticism
Margalit Ruth "Maggie" Gyllenhaal ( JIL-ən-hawl, Swedish: [ˈjʏ̂lːɛnˌhɑːl]; born November 16, 1977) is an American actress and filmmaker. Part of the Gyllenhaal family, she is the daughter of filmmakers Stephen Gyllenhaal and Naomi Achs, and the older sister of actor Jake Gyllenhaal.
She began her ca...
Christian Charles Philip Bale (born 30 January 1974) is an English actor. Known for his versatility and physical transformations for his roles, he has been a leading man in films of several genres. His accolades include an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to four British Acade...
DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for Detective Comics, a comic book series first published in 1937.
Jessie Buckley (born 28 December 1989) is an Irish actress and singer. Her accolades include two BAFTA Awards and a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards and three Actor Awards.
Buckley began her career in 2008 as a contestant on the BBC talent show I'd Do Anything, i...
