Lisa Frankenstein (2024)

User Review

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  ScreenZealots

  7 / 10

  “Lisa Frankenstein” is a movie that practically screams out, “this one’s for all the weirdos!” The brainchild of screenwriter Diablo Cody and director Zelda Williams, this campy and eccentric film is thoroughly bizarre, shaking up Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein by reimagining it as a romantic horror comedy set in the 1980s. It’s a clever mash-up of “Jennifer’s Body,” “Heathers,” and “Beetlejuice,” but doesn’t quite attain the cult classic status that could’ve been reached.
  
  After the horrific murder of her mom, misunderstood teenager Lisa (Kathryn Newton) and her oblivious dad (Joe Chrest) live with her cheerleader stepsister Taffy (Liza Soberano) and her nasty stepmom (Carla Gugino). Lisa isn’t very popular among the cool cliques at her new high school, especially when she admits that her crush is a handsome corpse (Cole Sprouse) that has been reanimated by lightning. As the lovebirds spend more time together, the stars in their eyes grow — but so does the body count. Their romantic journey results in a lot of bloodshed and missing body parts that her new beau wants to acquire for himself.
  
  The premise sounds funny and different, and it is, to a certain extent. Cody’s screenplay is disjointed and doesn’t flow seamlessly, which makes the storytelling feel uncomfortably choppy. Williams has a good grasp on the 80s horror and teen films that her project spoofs, and at times it feels as if a time capsule has been unearthed and a VHS tape featuring this movie was inside. The look and feel is spot on, from the production design to the style of performances from the actors. Lisa herself is a horny teenager just looking to get laid before she graduates high school.
  
  The film is PG-13 but stretches its rating, with bloody violence and themes that could concern some parents (suicide is presented as a viable and even preferred solution to teenage problems). It’s mostly tame, but may not be appropriate for younger kids.
  
  “Lisa Frankenstein” is a cool idea that doesn’t translate into a successful movie. There’s a distinctive voice here, though, and you have to give Cody and Williams credit for their risk-taking brand of offbeat creativity.
  
  By: Louisa Moore / SCREEN ZEALOTS

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