- Director : Zelda Williams
- Actors : Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Liza Soberano, Henry Eikenberry
- Subtitles: : Spanish, French
- Studio : Studio Distribution Services
- MPAA rating : PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
- Number of discs : 1
- Media Format : Blu-ray
- Run time : 1 hour and 42 minutes
- Release date : April 9, 2024
I can imagine
how Lisa Frankenstein may have been praised for its creativity and
originality had it been made at the height of screenwriter Diablo Cody’s initial
fame. Following the rags-to-riches (or stripper-to-screenwriter) storyline that
resulted in Juno winning an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay,
Cody wrote the feminist horror film Jennifer’s Body, and a decade and a
half later is claiming that Lisa Frankenstein exists in the same cinematic
universe. However, there are several problems with this claim and the film
directed by Zelda Williams.
For one thing, trying to establish a
cinematic universe now just feels derivative, and it hardly an original gimmick
(not to mention the fact that these connections are nowhere to be found in the film
itself). Also, the nostalgia-dripped approach to Lisa Frankenstein would
have been more effective before Stranger Things and every single reboot
from the 1980s had oversaturated the market. And an attempt at a feminist take
on the Frankenstein narrative feels especially uninspired after the critical
and commercial success of last year’s Poor Things, a film with far more
to say and even more to praise.
Nearly every issue I had with Lisa
Frankenstein seems to come from decisions being made to formulate the ideal
studio release, much like protagonist Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton) attempts
to piece together the perfect boyfriend. Newton is chosen to star because of
her success in past horror comedies like Freaky (2020), just like Cole
Sprouse is cast as the undead love interest in hopes of attracting his young
fanbase into theaters. Even the look of the movie feels blatantly “borrowed”
from Tim Burton, which makes Lisa Frankenstein feel like even more of a
cheap knockoff, especially in a year teasing the release of a Beetlejuice
sequel.
As much as I have enjoyed Newton’s
comedic performances of the past, her portrayal of Lisa feels weird in a
nonsensical way. Following this character throughout the entire narrative means
having to ignore multiple odd and illogical decisions, simply because the
filmmakers think it will be funny. More than anything, it just becomes
annoying, almost like a Saturday Night Live sketch that goes on way too
long. Edginess is brought in to cover for the aimlessness of the narrative, and
the train is completely derailed by the final act which never quite explains how
Lisa goes from being quirky to making completely absurd choices. I don’t think
the audience is intended to ask these questions, but what is more frustrating is
that neither the screenwriter or director bothered to either.
The Blu-ray release for Lisa
Frankenstein also comes with a digital code to stream or download the movie,
in addition to a handful of special features on the disc itself. There are a
handful of deleted scenes, in addition to a gag reel that may be funnier than anything
Cody wrote into the film. There is also a featurette about the 1980s style, but
this has been done so often recently that I’m not sure they should have made a
special feature to brag about this choice.
Entertainment Value:
6.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 6/10
Historical
Significance: 3/10
Special Features: 7/10
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