‘Lisa Frankenstein’ Review — Monster Romance Lovers, We Won
Image via Focus Features
From the mind of Diablo Cody and the directorial vision of Zelda Williams (in her feature-length debut, no less), comes a film that feels torn straight out of the 80s—all the way down to the pitch-perfect humor, teen angst, nagging leotard-clad parents, and happily ever afters. And yes, we are talking about the neon-lit horror comedy Lisa Frankenstein that rides into theaters on February 9.
Lisa Frankenstein is a movie made specifically for the girly pops who were obsessed with the Beetlejuice animated series (note the distinction from the live-action movie), spent too much time on the Tumblr page entitled My Daguerreotype Boyfriend, and have uttered the words “monsterfucker” once or twice in their lives. If you still think about Edward Scissorhands, Drop Dead Fred, or The Heathers at least once a month, then Lisa Frankenstein is a new instant classic.
‘Lisa Frankenstein’ Is Build-A-Boy Done Right
Image via Focus Features
From Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania to The Society and Supernatural, Kathryn Newton has never played a true outcast. Sure, her characters sometimes sit on the outskirts—and sometimes they’re big nerds—but none of them have been Lisa Swallows. She is the epitome of 80s goth-girl outcasts. Like a more perky Lydia Deetz, her life is a dark room and she’s far more interested in sitting in an overgrown cemetery doing tombstone etchings, than she is getting wasted at the local high school hang.
Plus, she’s a final girl dealing with the emotional fallout of being a final girl. She gets death and all of its weirdness. Which is why her ideal guy happens to be a dead guy. So relatable. Right?
This is where The Creature (Cole Sprouse) comes into play. As the opening credits so eloquently and gorgeously showcased, the pianist—aptly named Mr. Frankenstein—died some years ago. Seeing as he was dead and unwed, he was planted in the Bachelor’s Cemetery which went to rack and ruin over time. Decades passed and his memory went forgotten, until Lisa stumbled upon the sculpture adorning his grave and she fell for him. At least as much as a teenage girl can fall for the tombstone of a dead guy.
Luckily for Lisa, a nasty storm with some inexplicable magic lightning solves that latter issue for her. But no one warned her that when you wish for your own personal dead guy, all the parts are not included! Just roll with it, people! It’s the 80s. You know, back when movies didn’t have to laboriously over-explain things and you could just have a blast for a cozy 105 minutes.
And Lisa Frankenstein is a blast. It’s a coming-of-age movie with all the bells and whistles that The Heathers had, complete with a murderous turn! If you watched the trailer and saw the ax a-swinging, be prepared for some crowd-please chippity chops as Lisa and Frankenstein set out to rebuild-a-boy. It’s bloody, it’s funny, and it’s totally freaky!
I’ll be honest, when Sprouse was first announced as a Frankenstein’s monster-type character in this film, I was betwixt! Sure, we’re the same age, but he’s eternally preserved in my mind as that baby-faced kid from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. But he completely won me over in Lisa Frankenstein. The role is almost entirely physical—and physically limiting. He doesn’t talk, and mostly has to communicate through head gestures, judging glares, and nonsensical grunts. And Sprouse conveys it all with such a beautiful eloquence to it. With the bangs framing his brows, the mutton chops, and the occasional cravat he even convincingly feels like a dead historical romance lead who has been thrust into the 1980s. Mary Shelley might roll over in her grave at this comparison, but he is simply Byronic.
‘Lisa Frankenstein’ Works Because of Zelda Williams’ Direction
Image via Focus Features
Lisa is surrounded by a lot of larger-than-life 1980s archetypes. She’s got the disengaged and nonchalant dad (Joe Chrest), the overbearing “highly empathetic” monster of a step-mother (Carla Gugino), the loving step-sister who is just looking for someone who sees her as more than just a cheerleader (Liza Soberano), and a hunky bad-boy crush (Henry Eikenberry) who is reminiscent of 80s Brad Pitt. It’s a lot to handle—personality-wise—but the film’s director does exceptionally well at balancing all of the key players and finding ways to really heighten those big personalities via clever close-ups, subtle nods, and dynamic staging. Then, throw in a lumbering undead sort-of zombie man and a burgeoning romance and it could’ve been a recipe for disaster with any other filmmaker. Williams has a very precise eye that knows how to make something new out of the warm familiarity of teased hair and teen spirit.
The film’s aesthetics do share a lot of similarities with the niche corner of TikTok Maris Jones has carved out for herself over the past few years: complete with magic neon green lighting, edgy avant-garde stylings, paper-mâché, cardboard turntables, and a very iconic do-it-yourself vibe. It would be curious to see if her short-form videos were a source of inspiration for the film’s production designer’s creative vision—after all, imitation is the highest form of flattery. Either intentional or not, it’s an aesthetic style that works for Lisa Frankenstein and sells the wacky world that Lisa and her Creature find themselves in. You know, one where tanning beds can bring back the dead. They do, after all, kinda look like coffins.
What’s the 411 on ‘Lisa Frankenstein’?
If you’re still pining for a movie that makes you feel the way Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, or The Corpse Bride made you feel, look no further than Lisa Frankenstein. It’s a movie made for the outcasts who want to maintain their macabre sensibilities and be accepted for who they are. Newton and Sprouse are drop-dead perfect together, the humor is pitch-perfect (or should I say, Patch-perfect), and the romance delivered more than I was expecting it to. It’s rare to find movies that are so unabashedly committed to the bit, but Cody and Williams committed to it and it works!
All hail the cemetery girls wishing their long-dead crushes would rise from the dead to protect them from the horrors of this mortal coil!
FINAL VERDICT: A+
Lisa Frankenstein is in theaters on February 9. Check out the trailer below to decide if this one is truly to die for:
