Lisa Frankenstein

Director: Zelda Williams
Starring: Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Liza Soberano, Henry Eikenberry, Joe Chrest, Carla Gugino, Jenna Davis, Bryce Romero
Running Time: 101 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

Lisa Frankenstein's greatest asset comes in knowing exactly where its going and taking subversive detours to make it more fun than it has a right being. Aside from some minor pacing problems in its second half, Zelda Williams's feature directorial debut keeps the spotlight on whom it belongs, channeling the better aspects of classic 80's teen comedies like Weird Science with aesthetic and stylistic choices that mark her as a filmmaker to watch. Trailers may have indicated this would be a goofy throwback romance between a teen girl and zombie, and while that's not completely untrue, it isn't exactly accurate either. 

Oscar winner Diablo Cody's wickedly clever screenplay mitigates any concerns its premise will deteriorate into a silly farce featuring one sight gag after another. Not only are the jokes unexpectedly sharp, its quirky anti-heroine, Kathyrn Newton cuts loose and goes for the jugular, revealing a different side to the actress we haven't seen in other roles, including Freaky. And in providing her the ideal platform to literally and figuratively slay, it also manages to flesh out a myriad of supporting characters who don't exactly come across as the stereotypes you'd assume.

It's 1989 and sullen teenager Lisa Swallows (Newton) is still grieving the death of her mother at the hands of a masked axe murderer two years earlier. Making matters worse is her father Dale's (Joe Chrest) recent marriage to self-absorbed egomaniac Janet (Carla Gugino), whose popular cheerleader daughter Taffy (Liza Soberano) becomes Lisa's new stepsister. Depressed and withdrawn, Lisa spends most of her free time at the nearby Bachelor's Grove Cemetery speaking to the grave of an unknown Victorian-era man (Cole Sprouse) who died in 1837.

After Lisa visits the young man's grave following an unfortunate party experience with Taffy, a bolt of lightening strikes, resurrecting him. Setting his sights on Lisa, he pays her a surprise visit, with her cleaning the Creature up and hiding him in the closet. Despite being mute, he's the only one who truly understands what she's going through, but their strengthening bond could soon prove to be a match made in hell for everyone else.

The opening 40 minutes are really creative, and for the majority of its running time, it maintains that consistency, transporting us into a world that's very much a pleasure to reside in. If we've been clobbered by self-referential retro horror outings of late, this and last year's 80's set time-bending Totally Killer stand out as notable exceptions, understanding the nuances that make the sub-genre work. And with a wildly inventive, Tim Burton-like animated opening title sequence, eye popping production design and nostalgia infused soundtrack, it's almost immediately obvious Williams just gets it. 

Lisa's the kind of goth melancholy outsider you'd imagine being played by Winona Ryder if this were released in the year it's set. We're given a substantial amount of time with the character, not only exploring her grief, but relationships with her dad, new sister and comically evil stepmother. A crush on classmate Michael (Henry Eikenberry) seems to provide Lisa the only smidgen of hope and confidence she's had since the tragedy. 

Carla Gugino chews up the scenery as Janet, leading viewers to crave her comeuppance while the relentlessly positive Taffy is a little more complicated, actually conveying some degree of sincerity. You could envision a lesser script treating this character worse but Liza Soberano also deserves a lot of credit for helping to flip the "mean girl" trope on its head. This becomes especially important in the film's last act when all the equity she's poured into the role eventually pays off.

Seemingly influenced by Johnny Depp's Edward Scissorhands turn, Sprouse does fine work opposite Newton, delivering sort of this old school silent film performance that rests almost entirely on his herky jerky movements and facial expressions. The two characters form this parasitic union that's simultaneously demented and touching, with Lisa appearing to have finally connected with someone, even if he's not fully among the living. Also thanks to Newton, Lisa remains likably sympathetic as the two embark on their rampage of revenge, her character's considerable sewing skills helping along the way.  

The most surprising element in Lisa Frankenstein just might be how dark it manages to get, and while fans will probably still groan about its 'PG-13' rating, this does find that sweet spot of showing just enough gore and violence to fit the picture's tone. The film's only real offense is Cody's dubious claim it's somehow set in the same "universe" as her recently reappraised 2009 horror comedy Jennifer's Body. But considering just how superior this is to that, it's unlikely anyone would have problems telling them apart.