Movie review
March 4, 2026 · 126 min · R
Woke Score
Lower is better
Not currently streaming in United States
Review
In 1930s Chicago, Frankenstein's lonely monster asks a scientist to build him a female companion. Together, they bring a murdered young woman back to life, but she quickly becomes wild and hard to control. This movie features very visible feminist themes about female rage and fighting back against male control. It also includes modern political slogans, gender-swapped characters, and strong queer subtext.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Bride!.
Woke representation / casting
The film changes characters to fit modern diversity priorities. The mad scientist from the original story is now a female scientist named Dr. Cornelia Euphronious. A female assistant detective named Myrna is shown as much smarter and better at her job than her male boss. These choices focus on showing strong female characters rather than sticking to the original story roles.
Woke political dialogue
The characters use modern political language. The Bride screams "Me Too" during a scene about her past abuse. She also tells other women to refuse to do what grabby men want them to do. The script is full of angry feminist speeches, rants against the patriarchy, and direct comments to the audience about how women are mistreated.
Identity-driven story themes
The movie is built around female rage, liberation, and fighting male control. The Bride's resurrection is shown as an escape from male abuse. The film also has strong queer themes. Frankenstein's monster has a deep attraction to a male movie star. The monsters also form a queer-style found family of outcasts, adding clear LGBTQ+ themes to the story.
Western institutional / cultural critique
The movie attacks traditional ideas of marriage, family, and gender roles. Traditional relationships are shown as bad and abusive. The male leaders and police officers are shown as foolish, corrupt, and mean to women. The film suggests that traditional Western society in the 1930s was a prison for women that needs to be destroyed.
Production
Woke character or canon changes
The movie makes big political changes to the classic Frankenstein story. The Bride is changed from a silent monster into a loud feminist leader who is possessed by Mary Shelley's spirit. The mad scientist is changed from a man to a woman. The classic horror story is turned into a modern protest about female rebellion.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Many viewers and critics complained that the movie is a preachy, woke disaster. They felt the heavy-handed feminist messages and MeToo lectures ruined the horror experience. Many people on social media pointed to these forced political messages as the main reason why the film did so poorly at the box office.
Creator track record context
The key creators have a long history of making progressive films. Writer and director Maggie Gyllenhaal is known for her feminist views and projects that challenge male power. Other producers also have a history of making films focused on LGBTQ+ themes and social justice. This background strongly shaped the movie's political tone.
