New Lisa Frankenstein Movie Brings 80s Thrills and Nostalgia Back to Life

Hollywood as of lately has had a string of producing movies and TV shows appealing to nostalgia, by adhering to the cultures of previous decades and Lisa Frankenstein is no exception. Stranger Things, for example, revitalized a lot of love people had for the 1980s when it first released in 2016, so much so that the following years saw an increase in 80s-inspired media. 

This trend however, has since died down and first looks at Lisa Frankenstein might leave some thinking that it is a bit late to the party. 

While the movie tries to emulate the success of the ’80s nostalgia run, it still finds room to have its own identity, as it is a modern reimagining of the classic Frankenstein story.

         After a tragic event occurred in her past, Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton) is now a social outcast who feels no connection to her family, or peers. Due to her solemn state, she instead finds solace in visiting the grave of a young man. 

One fateful stormy night, a freak lightning bolt strikes the grave, revitalizing the young man (Cole Sprouse) who now seeks help from Lisa to become fully reformed as he is still missing body parts. Realizing this opportunity, Lisa agrees to help him by killing and gathering the limbs of those who have greatly wronged her.

         Dark comedy romances are a rare occurrence in large-scale film releases, which is why many audience members were initially eager to see this film. However, within the film lies the possibility of major disappointment, as its plot struggles with what genre it wants to be. There is a nearly constant comedic tone throughout the film that lessens the scenes that call for more serious moments. The pacing does not help this either, as once the killings start it feels like a race towards the end of the film. 

The film is also littered with awkward writing which can be taken as a prevention from the audience becoming emotionally invested in most parts of the movie.. A final issue that can be noticed upon watching this film was the sound mixing was a bit poor making it hard to hear the dialogue.

All of these points make it seem like Lisa Frankenstein is a fairly messy film, which it sort of is. That being said, there are a lot of cute aspects of the film that still make it worth a watch. There are parts of the film that are experimental with its visuals using a mixture of goth- Victorian aesthetics that would not be out of place in a Tim Burton film. 

The song choices were also great with a tracklist of softer romantic 80s songs filling the scenes. There is a whimsical rendition of Kathryn Newton’s I Can’t Fight This Feeling which ultimately serves as the theme for the film.         When compared to other adaptations of Frankenstein, Lisa Frankenstein still stands out despite its flaws. While not a must-watch, especially in theaters, this film would still be worth the watch to those looking for something a little bit different.