‘Lisa Frankenstein’ Attempts to Bring New Life to the Horror Comedy

High school is tough, especially when you’re the new kid at a new school. And, when your step-sister is among the most popular girls at said school. Plus, you have a step-mom who doesn’t really like you. Oh, and your boyfriend is dead. Wait — let’s go back to the beginning. 

What’s going on with Lisa?

Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton; Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania) is an awkward 17-year-old trying to adjust to her new life after her mother’s passing. Lisa is the sole survivor of a home invasion that claimed the life of her mother, and she’s never been the same after the traumatic event. So now, she’s at a new school with a new family, thanks to her dad’s quick remarriage. 

It’s not all doom and gloom; her step-sister, Taffy (Liza Soberano), appears to really love and support her. Although Taffy continually tries to connect with Lisa, there’s only one place where Lisa finds solace — the abandoned cemetery near her house. Her favorite spot is the plot of a young man who died in 1837. 

It’s a dark and stormy night, and Taffy drags Lisa to yet another high school party.  A failed attempt to fit in ends in yet another humiliation, so Lisa heads to her burial paradise. She yearns to be with her posthumous crush in the afterlife, so she makes a wish. Due to the storm, her wish for a shooting star is more of a wish for a lightning strike. Before she knows it, her monstrous beau (Cole Sprouse; Riverdale), zapped to life, appears. Lisa wished to be with him, but this isn’t quite what she had in mind. Especially since the man of her dreams is now a rotting corpse with smelly tears and worms that continue to fall out of him. As Lisa tries to navigate this shocking turn of events, she discovers a way to help her undead-stud blend into the world of the living. All she needs is a few harvested parts and a few quick sessions in Taffy’s tanning bed.

An electric ode to the ’80s

Lisa Frankenstein’s aesthetic starts with the opening credits through this animated black-and-white shadow puppet show. It serves as our introduction to the world in which the story takes place, as well as our main character, Lisa. Set in 1989, after the noir opening, we’re zapped into the neon glam metal flair of the time. The idea to set it in the ‘80s sets a great foundation for the dual-genre film. You’ve got this lifelike, bright vibe in a film steeped in death. Not to mention the score by Florence and the Machine keyboardist Isabella Summers and the retro needle drops — the soundtrack is a banger. 

It isn’t long before we’re introduced to Diablo Cody’s signature pen via witty dialogue sauteéd with sarcastic and somewhat deadpan humor. If you’ve seen and loved Jennifer’s Body, then you know what to expect from Cody and will be pleased to find a few meme-worthy one-liners to cling to. 

Lisa Frankenstein marks the feature directorial debut of Zelda Williams. You’ll recognize influences from cult classics and iconic films as you watch. There’s a little pulled from Georges Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon and even John Hughes’ Heathers. Of course, there are influences from James Whale’s monster movies, too. 

Speaking of firsts, it’s also the film debut for Liza Soberano, who is an absolute natural as Taffy. At first glance, you’d think that Taffy is the vapid popular girl that’s nice nasty, but disingenuous. In actuality, she cares deeply for Lisa and wants this new family to blend.

Weird Science needs a little Warm Bodies.

There are moments when William’s direction seems unclear, but it’s hard to determine if that’s the script or the vision. Intended to be a horror comedy, the story appears to be lighthanded in both categories. Weird Science, My Boyfriend’s Back, and Heathers seem to all get a new life reimagined in Lisa Frankenstein. Though not an ‘80s film, a little Warm Bodies would’ve added a little depth to the story. 

Newton isn’t exceptionally comedic, but that works well with Cody’s script. The chemistry between Sprouse and Newton has spark but isn’t as electric as the tanning bed. That isn’t the issue of the actors, but the film needed more time or plot points to allow their romance to bloom a little more. 

Reanimating a corpse from the 1800s should’ve given us a little more. The Creature never had to endure a learning curve on much of anything. They didn’t even have electricity when he was alive, yet we skip over all of that. It would’ve been nice to see more horror and more romance to really sense the change happening with the characters over time. As each body drops, Lisa’s turtle-like demeanor sheds, and she emerges reborn with a brazen persona and a Madonna-inspired style. 

The feeling of wanting more could work in this duo’s favor because it could lead to a sequel. Considering where the film leaves us, I wouldn’t mind seeing another installment within this cinematic world now that our lead male has acclimated to society. 

Lisa Frankenstein is good, but it could’ve been great. Everything was set up to make this another generational classic like Jennifer’s Body, but for a coming-of-rage romance, it doesn’t rage, and the romance is somewhat of an afterthought. Teens will love it. And for couples celebrating Valentine’s Day, it’ll make for an eccentric movie choice for a date night.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars