[REVIEW] Lisa Frankenstein (2024) is Pure Cheeky Teenage Delight
Fifteen years after the release of Jennifer’s Body (2009), Diablo Cody has stepped back into the teen horror comedy genre with the upcoming release of Lisa Frankenstein (2024). The film directed by Zelda Williams is set for release in theaters this Friday February 5 from Focus Features.
It is the year 1989 and Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton) is an outcast at school after witnessing the slasher-style murder of her mother years prior. Her father Dale (Joe Chrest) has remarried to a very rude yet hot woman named Janet (Carla Gugino) who brings her daughter Taffy (Liza Soberano) into the family. Taffy is a popular cheerleader at school, but despite their differences, the girls are close friends.
Lisa spends a lot of her time in the local graveyard, which includes talking to an unnamed grave marker with the bust of a man’s face on it. One night after a high school party, she wanders to the graveyard during a lightning storm and wishes that she were with the man. In her mind, she means in the ground, but the power of the universe has other plans. The next morning The Creature (Cole Sprouse) appears at her house. The pair form a bond and learn that if they replace The Creature’s dead body parts with new ones, he is able to use them. And with Lisa being a part-time seamstress, she is able to assist in the repairs. The only problem that remains is where to acquire the new body parts from. But I will leave those moments of surprise for the movie.
The film’s opening credits are styled as a shadow-puppet theater, making use of both gothic imagery as well as a Tim Burton-esque tone. We are reminded that this movie is drawn from Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein, but we also get some insight into who Lisa will be. We learn early on that Lisa loves poetry and literature, another nod to Shelley, and she also dresses like it’s 1818. She is a romantic and has her quirks, but her character is always grounded. What is so charming about Lisa is that she is a realistic weirdo. She feels like a real teenage girl who is appropriately awkward despite her burgeoning romance with a corpse. Kathryn Newton’s comedic timing is spot on and her portrayal of Lisa is sweet, charming, and yet also alarming. Lisa is everything that you could want from a teen horror comedy!
Like the titular character, everything about Lisa Frankenstein glows like bright neon lights. The production design is incredible, particularly the Shallows’ home. It’s painted head to toe in pinks and teals with a perfect plush carpet. It’s adorned with Precious Moment angel figurines that serve as a comedic fixation for Janet. The family phone is bright pink and is highlighted as the star prop it is. Lisa’s room is cute and colorful, yet is still decorated in her obscure body horror sketches. Her room is a direct reflection of who she is, much like the bedroom of any actual teenage girl. It is her paradise, even more so when she gets to share it with The Creature. The tanning bed room that serves as the machine to bring The Creature’s new body parts to life is adorned in neon and it is perfectly able to emulate the young romance between him and Lisa. The atmosphere is equally bold and soft, capturing the experience of Lisa’s teen girlhood.
The world that Cody and Williams have created is a utopia of gothic teen joy. The writing and direction is smart and cheeky with direct puns and references to the best of 80s’ culture. The violence is campy and comedic, while teen sexuality is honored and represented in a way that is authentic and non-exploitative in nature. The relationship between Lisa and Taffy is never hostile despite their different social statuses. The romance is a delightful slowburn tied together with the song “Can’t Fight This Feeling” by REO Speedwagon. All of this and Kathryn Newton has officially solidified herself as a modern scream queen.
Lisa Frankenstein is a spoonful of delight and giddy magic that makes you blush, giggle, and scream all at the same time