We’ve seen so many different renditions of the classic “Frankenstein” tale throughout the decades with films like “Edward Scissorhands,” “Frankenweenie” and most recently “Poor Things” that you would think there couldn’t possibly be another innovative take on the iconic story. Well, you would be mistaken. Zelda Williams, daughter of the late Robin Williams, and Diablo Cody, well known for her performances in “Jennifer’s Body” and “Juno,” brilliantly crafted “Lisa Frankenstein,” an 80s-inspired horror teen comedy based on the legendary spooky tale.
The movie centers around Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton), a teenage outcast who has to move in with her father’s new family after witnessing her mother get brutally slayed by an ax murderer. Lisa’s new life and traumatizing past lead her to go to her favorite spot at a nearby cemetery where she wishes she was with the dead accompanied by a Victorian-era man (Cole Sprouse). Suddenly, her wish actually comes true, with the corpse coming to life instead of her entering the afterlife. This leads Lisa and the Victorian zombie to go on a murderous adventure together where they find love, happiness and even a few missing body parts.
Going into this film, the audience’s expectations were very high as Cody wrote the script for the peculiar film and this was Williams’ first directorial debut. These two surely did not let their viewers down as they took both a creative and eccentric approach with their storytelling and cinematography. The very first scene is a perfect example of this as the film opens with a sensational animated black-and-white sequence of the Victorian-era man’s life story. This scene not only sets the tone of the movie’s quirkiness but also gives the audience a better understanding of Sprouse’s character in both a quick and unique way. In addition to the black and white pieces, Williams’ use of vibrant neon hues and the 80s-inspired costume and set design transported viewers into a world that was both whimsical and haunting. These cinematography elements made it feel like you were watching one of your favorite classic Halloween movies like “Corpse Bride” or “Beetlejuice.”
Viewers can also see the film’s homage to iconic Halloween films through the movie’s plot as “Lisa Frankenstein” combines story elements of “Jennifer’s Body” and “Edward Scissorhands” throughout this odd love story. For instance, Lisa going after men who have wronged her in the past pays tribute to “Jennifer’s Body” as the main character in the film did the same thing. Also, Sprouse’s character connects to Edward (Johnny Depp) in “Edward Scissorhands” as he was also non-verbal and killed the main character’s love interest. These homages made every Halloween film fan fall in love with the movie even more, as we haven’t seen this type of weird storytelling in too long a time.
Alongside Cody and Williams’ remarkable work behind the scenes, the cast on-screen did an incredible job with all their performances. From Sprouse’s character being able to show so much emotion and expression with just his movements and grunts to Newton embodying all the quirkiness of her character through her facial expressions and dialogue, you simply didn’t want their performances to end. But Liza Soberano’s performance was the one who stood out the most and instantly became a fan favorite as her character Taffy turned out to be a sweet and supportive stepsister, rather than the evil popular stepsister that we typically see. From her charming and hilarious dialogue to her remarkable showing towards the end of the film’s final act, Soberano’s role as Taffy left viewers wanting her to feature in more horror movies.
All in all, Williams and Cody perfectly stitched together a classic horror comedy film with their odd human and zombie love story. I would highly recommend watching this film, especially if you are a Halloween and horror movie buff like me, as you would appreciate and understand the style and characters even more.
“Lisa Frankenstein” is available to watch in theaters and digitally.