If you're a fan of all things gothic like me, you'll want to head to HBO Max to check out Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride! as it makes its streaming debut on May 22.

At first glance, The Bride! does seem like a disappointment. It didn't perform well at the box office, making $24 million against its $80–90 million budget. But honestly, I'd argue that's why you should give it a chance. In my eyes, it's criminally underrated, and a streaming home might give it an extra boost.

In defense of The Bride!

When a movie gets mixed reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, there are plenty of polar opposite takes about whether or not it's any good. At the end of the day, it's up to you to decide your own opinion, but perhaps I can convince you to spend an evening watching The Bride!

First off, it's got two incredible leads. Jessie Buckley plays a dual role of The Bride and Mary Shelley's ghost, while Christian Bale is Frank (yes, that's short for Frankenstein's monster). They really give their all to this movie, supported by an equally star-studded cast like Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Penelope Cruz.

If you like an ensemble, you'll find it here, and these weird and wonderful gothic characters are all set against a stunning 30s backdrop with enviable costume design. It's a visual treat, that much is sure. It's also very unique, mirroring the just as divisive Wuthering Heights, which got a poor review from us for being too bland.

Thankfully, The Bride! doesn't suffer from this problem and makes great use of its 2-hour runtime. There's plenty of spectacle and drama to enjoy here, and when you've got an atmospheric, retro Hildur Guðnadóttir soundtrack running through it, those scenes become even better. There are even a few featuring Jake Gyllenhaal singing, if that sweetens the deal.

I do worry that The Bride! had been unfairly judged, and all of the above just proves how much love went into the Shelley-inspired project. Indeed, if you view it as being "inspired by" rather than expecting a straight adaptation, you might be surprised how much you actually enjoy it.

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Lucy is a long-time movie and television lover who is an approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes. She has written several reviews in her time, starting with a small self-ran blog called Lucy Goes to Hollywood before moving onto bigger websites such as What's on TV and What to Watch, with TechRadar being her most recent venture. Her interests primarily lie within horror and thriller, loving nothing more than a chilling story that keeps her thinking moments after the credits have rolled. Many of these creepy tales can be found on the streaming services she covers regularly.

When she’s not scaring herself half to death with the various shows and movies she watches, she likes to unwind by playing video games on Easy Mode and has no shame in admitting she’s terrible at them. She also quotes The Simpsons religiously and has a Blinky the Fish tattoo, solidifying her position as a complete nerd.