dilettante

I’m not gonna lie, I left the theatre with very mixed feelings. Some characters (including Mary Shelley and Frank) felt weirdly mischaracterised at times, and there were moments where I genuinely didn’t understand some of the Bride’s choices or her behaviour (like I gather the way she speaks, oscillating between an amnesiaed Ida and the grandious Mary Shelley is supposed to mean something and maybe provide social commentary, but at this moment I havent figured out what it could mean). The side plot also occasionally felt like it wandered in from another movie. But at the same time, the cinematography, the colour palette, the theatrical dialogue, and the sheer energy of the film made it feel like something that was deliberately chaotic.

But honestly, I can already tell this is going to become a cult classic. Not because it’s perfect, but because it’s so unapologetically weird.

What I really loved was the dynamic between Frank and the Bride. He doesn’t try to control her or force her into being the “perfect wife” she was literally created to be. He lets her run wild, explore the world, build her own identity, and only really steps in when she asks for help or when she’s in danger. It feels less like ownership and more like trust. Like he wants her to experience the freedom he never got when he first woke up.

And the Bride herself is such a fascinating character because the entire movie revolves around consent. She’s lied to, manipulated, threatened, and assaulted throughout the story, but she never stops asserting her autonomy. From the moment she’s revived she keeps repeating “I’d rather not,” over and over like a mantra, and I loved that. When she ultimately reconnects with Frank, it’s not because she owes him anything, it’s because of the bond they built despite everything.

Is the movie messy? Absolutely.

Did I understand every choice it made? Not really.

But I also can’t stop thinking about it, I want to write so much more about this movie, but I am holding back so hard, hich honestly might be the biggest compliment I can give it.