If you spent Valentine’s Day alone enjoying a paranormal gothic romance book, then “Lisa Frankenstein,” is a must-watch. If you’ve watched and enjoyed movies such as “Edward Scissorhands,” “Heathers,” or “Corpse Bride,” then you absolutely have to watch this movie.
I remember letting out a loud sigh when the movie ended. All I wanted to do was relive the first time I watched it.
Zelda Williams, Robin Williams’ daughter, made her production debut with this film. In a TikTok interview with Deadline, Kathryn Newton, who plays Lisa, said: “The first time I met with Zelda, she was like, ‘I want to do something different; I’m so sick of the same high school, same characters. I wanna make something absurd.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, me too.’”
And they accomplished exactly that. This is an interesting debut; it shows Zelda was not afraid to take risks in the film industry.
It’s been a while since we have seen a movie that could be considered a cult classic. This movie was eccentric, weird, campy, gory and full of dark humor.
The scenes were pleasing to the eye with their colorful palette and ’80s style. It felt like I was flipping through an ’80s magazine.
Everything was perfect – a little too perfect – with its plastic suburban neighborhood feel, where everyone was almost robotic. The soundtrack was fitting for the movie, mending every element together. The makeup and wardrobe for this film were so stunning.
The gothic influence in Lisa’s wardrobe was fascinating, and it set her apart from everything and everyone, really highlighting her character. This movie was basically a blend of Tim Burton and shades of hot pink.
Newton, who has acted in another great horror comedy film, “Freaky,” played the role of the outcast anti-social teen, Lisa Swallows, who is grieving her mother’s tragic death while battling through high school. She deals with a narcissistic stepmother and puppet of a father, which only made it less surprising that she chooses to spend most of her time in the graveyard caring for the graves, specifically one of an unnamed man from the 19th century.
Cole Sprouse, known for his role in “Riverdale,” played the repulsive and clueless “monster” who, with a lightning strike, came back from the dead, going to the only person who would visit him: Lisa. Although all his dialogue consisted of grunts and growls, you could understand what he was trying to communicate and what he was feeling.
If you were to put the murders aside, the relationship between Lisa and the monster was genuine, and you could tell that she had found comfort in someone different who didn’t see her as a social reject.
Liza Soberano’s character, Taffy, Lisa’s stepsister, was very refreshing, as she wasn’t the average stereotypical mean stepsister but she actually cared for Lisa in her own way, going about in the world with no intentional ill will. Taffy was the contrast to Lisa’s character.
This movie had the potential to amass more popularity than it did, but I believe it was not advertised to its specific audience.
Viewers will either love this movie or you will hate it; there is no in-between. A lot of the criticism this film received was that it was unfunny and made no sense, but that is the whole point. This movie is meant to be overly corny. The gore is supposed to be exaggerated. This movie is meant to be fun, and that’s exactly what it is.
There’s one scene in this movie where Lisa falls asleep and wakes up in her dream. The scene was ethereal. Although slightly hazy, every detail caught my eye. This scene showed the more artistic side of the film. I continue to have that scene imprinted in my mind.
Being PG-13 limited the script and held the filmmakers back from so much more potential, especially with it being a slasher-type film and in the horror genre. Besides that, this movie is an absolute must-watch. Get ready for a crazy, fun ride.
