NEW ORLEANS — Lisa Frankenstein puts the "Lisa Frank" into the classic Frankenstein story. Bringing late 80s campy horror sensibilities back to life with a talented Gen Z cast.
The new movie stars Kathryn Newton as Lisa Swallows, a high-schooler with occasional mutism after witnessing her mother's tragic murder. Despite, the attempts from her bubbly new step-sister (played expertly by Liza Soberano) it's actually a long-dead man who ends up bringing Lisa 'back to life.'
Specifically, Cole Sprouse, from the popular TV shows "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" and "Riverdale," who plays a rotting corpse known as The Creature. Lisa goes to the abandoned graveyard where he's buried to spend sometime to herself and also to make artistic impressions of her favorite tombstone in the cemetery -- that of the deceased Cole Sprouse character. For no real reason, a lightning storm brings him back to life and into the arms of Kathryn Newton's Lisa.
Lisa soon discovers that a tanning bed used by her step-sister for beauty pageants can also be used to magically fuse severed body parts to the zombie; and the two seek out subjects to dissect.
Newton plays Lisa with complexity, shifting from subdued muttering to fast-paced monologues. She talks like a regular teenager, and so does everyone else here. That's mostly thanks to legendary writer Diablo Cody who was widely acclaimed for her Oscar-Winning 2007 screenplay for "Juno;" but also the severely underrated 2009 movie "Jennifer's Body" whose horror teen comedy premise feels like a closer relative to "Lisa Frankenstein."
And, over the past few years, "Jennifer's Body," starring millennial royalty Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried, has become a cult classic, reaching a new generation of audiences craving mature and funny portrayals of teenage life. The 2009 movie had an abysmal showing at the box office, yet is among the most watched movies of that year by users on the movie rating app Letterboxd. Cody has answered the prayers of her Jennifer's Body fandom with her new horror-comedy. The movie was directed by voice actor Zelda Williams, who is also well-known as late comedian Robin Williams' daughter.
"Lisa Frankenstein" is set in 1989, the same year that "Heathers" -- a twisted comedy starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater -- about a couple who seek deadly revenge on the rich and popular kids at their high school, staging their classmates' murders as romantic and heroic suicides.
And L. Frankenstein is not too different from that classic film, even the outfits Lisa wears seem plucked directly from that period, fit with big hair, big straw hats and vintage 80s goth attire.
Just like "Heathers," Lisa Frankenstein is not afraid to get a lot bit weird, as Lisa and her newly reanimated corpse beau go on a murderous quest to sow on the body parts that he lost as he decomposed -- And despite decomposing, it turns out he's a composer. There's a great scene where after Lisa stitches The Creature's hand back on, he plays a classical ballad and then plays "I Can't Fight This Feeling" by REO Speedwagon off of sheet music.
It's a mature comedy, that doesn't dumb itself down for the teen audience of the streaming-era, who are so often inundated with glossy and exaggerated portrayals of high school. For a monster movie this is extraordinarily down to earth -- with every minor character seeming like they could carry the weight of their own movie.
The movie was filmed in New Orleans, and although "Lisa Frankenstein" doesn't necessarily take place here, it's gothic comedy and vampire costumes feel like something out of a Crescent City walking tour. Plus, LSU alum Joe Chrest does a nice job as the kind but aloof Dale Swallows, Lisa's father.
The movie is an easy breezy 1 hour and 41 minutes, and I can guarantee that even if it's not your thing, you will not be bored. The best part about "Lisa Frankenstein" is that I never knew what was going to happen next.
"Lisa Frankenstein" received a wide release on Wednesday, most local theaters in Southeast Louisiana are playing the movie.
