The Bride first reactions say Jessie Buckley's new Frankenstein movie is "what Joker: Folie a Deux desperately wished it was"

The first reactions are in for The Bride!, and Maggie Gyllenhaal's latest turn behind the camera is garnering rave reviews – particularly for leading lady Jessie Buckley, who's currently on the awards circuit for her standout role in historical tearjerker Hamnet.

"Adored #TheBride. One of the most electric movies I've seen in a while," said GamesRadar+'s own Amy West. "Funny, brutal, SO visually interesting and just... fucking cool. Jessie Buckley (wild, sensational) + Christian Bale (goofy, great) leave it all on the inky floor. Maggie Gyllenhaal is the real deal!!!!"

"#TheBride is my kind of big swing storytelling. It rocks two ferocious and fearless lead performances from Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale," wrote Collider's Perri Nemiroff. "(I’m also obsessed with the fact that The Bride! is hitting theaters in the midst of Hamnet’s awards season run. Seeing Buckley give every ounce of herself to two wildly different characters in such a short span is really something else.)"

"Maggie Gyllenhaal's #TheBride is wild, audacious, & dgaf if you like it. Buckley & Bale thrill in a movie that feels like what JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX desperately wished it was," tweeted The Film Maven's Kristen Lopez. "Gyllenhaal's script has a lot of threads it doesn't weave in perfectly. unlike anything out there."

"Maggie Gyllenhaal and Jessie Buckley built #TheBrideMovie in a lab to give me the movie of my dreams," said critic BJ Colangelo. "A shrieking, brazen journey of an ungovernable woman and a man who wants her to burn it all down if it means feeling her warmth. I loved every second of it."

"THE BRIDE is a love letter to storytelling, science fiction, movies, and so much more," wrote The Mary Sue's Rachel Leishman. "A breathtaking look at Frankenstein and his love and a truly brilliant performance from both Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale. Maggie Gyllenhaal made something so special."

"Maggie Gyllenhaal’s #TheBrideMovie swings BIG – ferocious, funny, chaotic, romantic and fueled by another knockout Jessie Buckley performance," Fandango's Erik Davis tweeted. "THE BRIDE! feels like a love letter to classic moviegoing wrapped inside a bold, modern monster movie. Honestly, we need more films like this."

Set in '30s Chicago, this spiky new take on The Bride of Frankenstein stars Buckley in the titular role and Christian Bale as Frank (AKA Frankenstein's monster), alongside a supporting cast that includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, and Penélope Cruz.

The Bride! arrives in theaters on March 6. In the meantime, fill out your watchlist with our guide to the other best upcoming horror movies on the way in 2026.