Lisa Frankenstein Review: Fun Humor Can’t Save This Kathryn Newton & Cole Sprouse Creature Romance

There have been many reinventions of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in the 200 years since the novel was originally published, but none with quite so much 80s flare as Lisa Frankenstein. The neon-soaked movie from writer Diablo Cody and director Zelda Williams, in her full-length directorial debut, has one of the most inventive riffs on Shelley’s sci-fi horror tale, turning it into an 80s-set love story. However, Lisa Frankenstein doesn’t quite stick the landing. Despite its freaky fun and ingenious premise, the film feels more derivative than a fresh take on a classic story.

Lisa Frankenstein is a comedic fantasy-horror film by first-time director Zelda Williams and is a twist on the classic Frankenstein formula. Set in 1989, a high school outcast named Lisa accidentally revives a handsome corpse from the Victorian era and resolves to rebuild him into the perfect man.

Pros

• Lisa Frankenstein is laugh-out-loud funny
• Kathryn Newton shines in the lead role

Cons

• Cole Sprouse flounders as the male lead
• The story is messy and the romance is lackluster

Lisa Frankenstein follows the story of Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton), a goth teenager who’s suffered a great loss and has become inexplicably besotted with the bust of a young dead man (Cole Sprouse) in her local cemetery. When a freak lightning storm brings the man back from the dead, Lisa takes him in and hides him from her stepmother Janet (Carla Cugino) and stepsister Taffy (Liza Soberano). The Creature helps Lisa gain confidence and, in return, she helps him build a better body. However, things take a turn when Janet becomes convinced Lisa is acting out and needs professional help.

Lisa Frankenstein Is A Muddled Coming-Of-Age Love Story

Kathryn Newton & Cole Sprouse lack chemistry

The first act of Lisa Frankenstein works pretty well, despite some eye-rolling clichés and shoddy word-building. As the story progresses, it becomes clear the movie wants to be both a coming-of-age tale and a love story, and it doesn’t fully deliver on either. There’s some enjoyment watching Lisa come into her own as an axe-wielding pseudo-mad scientist, but the romance takes a back seat for much of the movie. When it comes to the forefront, it’s too underdeveloped to be compelling. It’s messy and chaotic, and while that makes the movie a fun horror-comedy, it isn’t a fully satisfying experience.

That’s not due to the cast’s lack of trying, though. Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse are perfectly capable leads, but they don’t quite have the onscreen chemistry needed to carry a story about a girl falling in love with a creepy creature. Sprouse isn’t given much to do beyond grunt and gesture, but he doesn’t bring the charm or charisma needed for a monster romance role.

Newton shines on her own, and she’s more compelling when working alongside Carla Cugino as Lisa’s heinous stepmother or Liza Soberano as Lisa’s bubbly, well-meaning stepsister. These relationships leave no doubt why the coming-of-age aspects of Lisa Frankenstein work far better than the romance, which, despite ostensibly being the focus of the movie, falls by the wayside of Lisa’s own, much more interesting transformation.

Lisa Frankenstein Is A Fun, Imperfect Horror Comedy

It’s laugh-out-loud funny

Although Lisa Frankenstein isn’t nearly as sharp as Cody’s Jennifer’s Body and lacks the biting commentary on girlhood, there are still some entertaining aspects of the movie. Cody’s script is laugh-out-loud funny; you’ll laugh quite often throughout its hour and 41 minute runtime, and Williams’ direction has some stylistic flair that creates visually interesting sequences. The 80s style of the movie isn’t quite as unique as it might want us to believe. In fact, Lisa Frankeinstein can be derivative of Tim Burton’s early work, particularly Edward Scissorhands, though unfortunately less distinct.

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Where To Watch Lisa Frankenstein: Showtimes & Streaming Status

Kathryn Newton stars in 2024’s horror romantic comedy. This is where to watch Lisa Frankenstein in theaters with showtimes or at home on streaming.

Ultimately, Cody and Williams deliver an enjoyable enough horror comedy, but not anything particularly revelatory. Lisa Frankenstein may not be worth a trip to the theater, but it’s certainly worth checking out for those intrigued by the premise. Still, it’d be best to keep expectations low because, despite having the same screenwriter as Jennifer’s Body, it doesn’t seem like Lisa Frankenstein is headed toward either cult or wider pop culture success. It’s a fun, but forgettable movie.