Maggie Gyllenhaal‘s The Bride! held its world premiere in London’s West End on Thursday night, and not long after the screening, early reactions to the Warner Bros. film started to hit social media.
Those who attended the premiere praised Gyllenhaal’s ambition and risk taking and also star Jessie Buckley‘s performance. There was also praise for co-lead Christian Bale.
Gyllenhaal’s follow-up to her directorial debut The Lost Daughter, The Bride! is a brash and imaginative take on Mary Shelley’s classic story Frankenstein. Set in 1930s Chicago, the film centers on a lonesome monster, played by Bale, who recruits Dr. Euphronios to create a companion for himself. The two revive a murdered young woman and the titular bride, played by Buckley, is born. A cracked love story, the monster and his bride then embark on a killing spree, while being pursued by the police.
As well as Shelley’s 1818 novel, the film draws inspiration from the 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein. Gyllenhaal directs from her own screenplay and produces alongside Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Talia Kleinhendler and Osnat Handelsman Keren.
The Bride! is something of a family affair with the cast including Maggie Gyllenhaal’s brother Jake and husband Peter Sarsgaard. The film also stars Annette Bening and Penelope Cruz.
The embargo for full critics’ reviews of The Bride! lifts on March 4. The film will be released in theaters on March 6.
See a selection of early social media reaction to the film below.
