In 2009, “Jennifer’s Body” came out and had a lukewarm box office performance with mixed reviews from critics who complained that the tone and writing of the film were uneven. Screenwriter Diablo Cody lamented how the film had been marketed. She had argued with executives who wanted “to market this to boys who like Megan Fox.” She would rebut, “No! This is a movie for girls too!” In 2018, however, there started to be a shift in the way “Jennifer’s Body” was perceived, with many labeling it a feminist cult classic. The way the film grappled with Jennifer taking revenge upon her male attackers resonated a lot with women in the wake of #MeToo.
Now, Diablo Cody’s newest film, “Lisa Frankenstein,” hit theaters on Feb. 9, and it appears to exist in the same dimension as “Jennifer’s Body” in that it centers on a teenage girl who’s not afraid of getting her hands a little bloody. Indeed, Cody stated that “Lisa Frankenstein” actually takes place in the same universe as “Jennifer’s Body.” The movie follows Lisa (Kathryn Newton) in the 1980s, who wishes for a dead boy (Cole Sprouse) to come back to life and be her boyfriend — which happens. But he finds himself in need of some new live body parts, which Lisa obligingly provides — with an ax.
“Lisa Frankenstein” seems, on a surface level, to resemble “Jennifer’s Body,” with all of the blood and gore you would want from the writer of “Jennifer’s Body.” The main problem is that “Jennifer’s Body,” for all of its Twilight-esque edginess, touched upon genuine themes that affected teenage girls; sexual assault, the relationship between female friends, etc. “Lisa Frankenstein” doesn’t seem interested in that. And just being a fun movie would be fine, but it doesn’t quite succeed at that either.
The costumes are gorgeous. All of Lisa’s stylings do a wonderful job of emphasizing both Lisa’s personality and the absurd, over-the-top tone of the movie. The production design of the film also feels very reminiscent of Tim Burton movies in the best way possible. Newton is committed to the movie’s humor and sells it as well as she can. Sprouse tries to be charming and succeeds sometimes. Their performances sadly don’t help the fact that their characters are not much more than archetypes from 80s teen movies and not much more. Throughout the movie, they are both trying to carry this paper-thin movie forward.
The problem lies in the writing. The script draws upon older teen classics such as “Heathers,” but it doesn’t commit enough to that direction to reach the heights that the film did. It all culminates in a third act that feels all over the place and lacks tension. Overall, it’s disappointing how the film feels too scared to go places that would give the script some punch. A predictable plot wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, but the film also finds itself in dire need of more of its other fun elements to be stronger for it. Instead, the jokes don’t feel as fully out there as you’d expect from a teen murder movie.
That doesn’t mean there are no unredeemable factors. Liza Soberano is fun as Lisa’s annoying stepsister and is a breath of fresh air every time she appears in the movie. Lisa and her boyfriend’s zany antics are still fun, even if they aren’t as over-the-top as they could be in a movie like this. Zelda Williams’ direction makes watching this movie a brisk affair, ensuring that you get the most for your time. Overall, it’s not a bad way to spend two hours at a movie theater, but this isn’t a movie that absolutely needs to be seen in theaters.
Feel free to watch it, but if it’s a gory female-centric teen horror film you want to see, maybe just give “Jennifer’s Body” a rewatch.
Verdict: “Lisa Frankenstein” almost succeeds in reanimating the almost-dead corpse of gore-filled campy teen flicks, but is a few appendages short of a good movie.
