Lisa Frankenstein (2024)

🧟‍♀️ Lisa Frankenstein (2024)

“It’s Alive… and it’s Goth as Hell.”

Let’s start by showing y’all the trailers, shall we? 🎥

Since this is a Universal film, Y’all know what that means? Cue the Universal Logo!

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🧬 Non-Spoiler Plot Overview

Lisa Frankenstein is one of those movies that reminds you just how endless the reinterpretations of Frankenstein have become. Seriously — we’ve had gothic classics, body horror tragedies, sci-fi reboots, and even a musical. And now, a neon-soaked 1980s dark comedy about a lonely teenage goth girl who accidentally reanimates a Victorian corpse and falls in love with him. Because… sure, why not?

Set in 1989, the film follows Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton), a grief-stricken outsider who spends her nights at a cemetery talking to the headstone of a mysterious man. One stormy night, lightning strikes — and boom — he’s back, in all his undead glory. From there, chaos, comedy, and unexpected tenderness follow as Lisa helps her resurrected beau (Cole Sprouse) adjust to modern life… and, uh, helps him “borrow” a few spare body parts along the way.

It’s ridiculous, yes. But it’s also self-aware and stylish — a pastel-colored, synth-blasting satire that blends Tim Burton vibes with Heathers energy.

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👥 Character Rundown

Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton) – The perfect mix of sweet and morbid. She’s like if Lydia Deetz and Barbie merged in a lightning storm. Her grief, awkwardness, and descent into madness make her oddly endearing.

The Creature (Cole Sprouse) – A wordless, charmingly tragic figure who’s both creepy and lovable. He’s more Edward Scissorhands than Boris Karloff — stitched together but still romantic at heart.

Janet Swallows (Liza Soberano) – Lisa’s step-sister, representing everything superficial about the 80s. Her dynamic with Lisa gives the movie some great dark humor.

Taffy & the Step-Parents – Played as absurd caricatures of suburban perfection, and it works. Every scene they’re in feels like a twisted sitcom.

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⏱️ Pacing / Episode Flow

The movie never overstays its welcome — breezy 1 hour 40 minutes of campy weirdness. The first half is pure setup and quirky charm; the second half leans into horror-romance chaos. Some tonal shifts feel abrupt, but it’s so confident in its weirdness you kind of forgive it.

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✅ Pros

Unique direction: Zelda Williams (yes, Robin Williams’ daughter) nails the retro-goth aesthetic. Every frame looks like a Hot Topic painting come to life.

Kathryn Newton: easily her best role since Freaky. She balances comedy, horror, and heartbreak with ease.

Soundtrack: The 80s tracks slap. You’ll want to Shazam half the movie.

Practical meets absurd: Some great makeup and old-school effects — no overreliance on CGI, thank god.

It actually has heart. Beneath the camp, there’s a sweet message about grief, loneliness, and finding someone who sees you — even if they’re dead.

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❌ Cons

The humor can be uneven — some jokes hit like a bolt of lightning, others fizzle.

Tonal whiplash between heartfelt and homicidal moments.

If you’re expecting gothic terror or philosophical reflection like Del Toro’s Frankenstein, this ain’t that. It’s more “neon-pink horror prom.”

Some side characters (especially the step-parents) feel one-note by design — which works for parody, but not always emotionally.

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💭 Final Thoughts

It’s almost criminal how many Frankenstein adaptations we’ve gotten over the years — from tragic gothic masterpieces to straight-up trainwrecks (looking at you, I, Frankenstein). But Lisa Frankenstein stands out by not even pretending to be serious. It’s morbidly funny, sweetly romantic, and proudly weird.

Zelda Williams and writer Diablo Cody (of Jennifer’s Body fame) clearly love the Frankenstein myth, but they’re not here to honor it — they’re here to drag it into a new grave and give it a fluorescent makeover.

It’s not perfect — some of the emotional beats don’t fully land — but it’s an undeniably fun resurrection of a classic monster story through the lens of 80s teen angst.

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⭐ Rating

8 / 10 — A wickedly funny, candy-colored resurrection of Frankenstein that embraces its weirdness and runs with it.

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⚠️ Spoiler Warning

From here on out, full plot spoilers ahead.

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🧟 Spoilers

Lisa’s life is a teenage nightmare: her mom was murdered, her dad remarried, and she’s stuck in a pastel prison of fake smiles. Her only solace? Visiting the cemetery to talk to her favorite grave — a handsome young man who died over a century ago.

After a freak lightning storm, her conversations turn… literal. The corpse rises — missing a few limbs but full of undead curiosity. Lisa, equal parts horrified and fascinated, decides to help him become “whole” again — even if that means raiding local bodies for parts.

Their twisted bond deepens, and soon Lisa isn’t just reanimating him — she’s reanimating herself, shedding her meekness for full-on gothic chaos. There’s murder, mayhem, dark humor, and a prom that ends in glorious absurdity. By the finale, Lisa is reborn (literally and figuratively) alongside her undead boyfriend.

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💀 Final Line:
“It’s not just about bringing the dead back to life — it’s about finally feeling alive yourself.”