Set in 1989, Lisa Frankenstein follows an unpopular high school student who accidentally re-animates a handsome Victorian corpse during a lightning storm and starts to rebuild him into the man of her dreams. A film by Zelda Williams, starring Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Liza Soberano, Henry Eikenberry, Joe Chrest, and Carla Gugino.

One night in 1987, while Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton) was home alone with her mother (Jennifer Pierce Mathus), a mysterious psycho killer broke into their house. Lisa’s mother heroically sacrificed herself to protect her daughter. By the time the police arrived, Lisa found her mother brutally murdered by the assailant’s axe. They never caught the killer. The incident has traumatized Lisa ever since. Six months after the murder, Lisa’s father got engaged and married to Janet, a psychiatric nurse. Lisa and her father then left their hometown to stay at Janet’s house.

Two years later, Lisa and her father Dale (Joe Chrest) now live with Janet (Carla Gugino), and daughter Taffy (Liza Soberano), who becomes Lisa’s stepsister. Janet is proud of her daughter, a high school cheerleader. Although Janet loves Dale, she is constantly unpleasant towards Lisa.

While Taffy drives Lisa to a rager, Lisa reveals that she likes Michael Trent, editor-in-chief of the high school literary magazine, and that she likes to visit Bachelor’s Grove, a nearby abandoned cemetery, believed to be haunted by the locals. Lisa tells Taffy that she tends to one of the graves, and sometimes talks to the statue on that grave. Taffy, however, finds Lisa’s hobby really weird.

At the party, Lisa is approached by Michael (Henry Eikenberry). To her surprise, not only does he know her name, but he also expresses his admiration for Lisa’s submitted poems, which he has decided to publish in “The Grackle,” the school literary magazine. While the two exchange awkward pleasantries, Lisa becomes hopeful that she may actually have a shot with her crush. However, their conversation is interrupted by Tamara (Joey Bree Harris) who brings a cup of beer for Michael. Lisa, wanting to impress Michael, accepts and drinks the beer that Tamara offers, only to find out that the beer is spiked with drugs.

Dazed and disoriented from the drugged beer, Lisa escapes a near sexual assault by her lab partner, Doug (Bryce Romero). She wanders away from the party and seeks refuge in the familiar quiet of the abandoned cemetery. There, she speaks to the handsome statue on the grave, expressing her longing to be with him. A mysterious bolt of green lightning strikes the statue momentarily after Lisa leaves. In the distance, the sound of a creature growls in the darkness.

The Creature crawls out of the ground and finds its way to Janet’s house, where Lisa is left alone. While the family is out at a movie in town, the Creature breaks into the house, terrorizing Lisa. Though initially terrified, Lisa soon realizes the creature is the young man from the cemetery when he shows her mother’s rosary that she placed on his grave. She observes that the Creature is mute and missing several body parts, including his right hand. Lisa decides to hide the Creature in her bedroom closet.

On the next Monday, Taffy asks Lisa to cover for her with their parents while she goes out after practice in the evening. Lisa agrees, willing to help her lie if necessary. Lisa assures Taffy she needn’t worry. Janet’s away at a conference in Milwaukee, and Dale always works late on Mondays. Back at home, while Janet is busy dealing with a door-to-door salesperson at the front door, the Creature wanders around the house, and a worm accidentally falls from his mouth into Janet’s food bowl.

That evening, Lisa is surprised to find Janet not only still at home, but also accusing Lisa of deliberately putting a live worm in her food. Janet even threatens to send Lisa to an asylum. Suddenly, the creature emerges silently from Lisa’s closet behind Janet and strikes her head with a sewing machine. Janet collapses to the floor, dead instantly. The creature then cuts off Janet’s ear and holds it out to Lisa. Lisa understands that the creature wants her to sew the ear onto its head, replacing its missing one. Together, Lisa and the creature move Janet’s body and hide it in the abandoned cemetery.

Lisa stitches Janet’s ear to the Creature’s head, but the stitching doesn’t seem to work. The Creature remains unable to hear anything. However, she recalls the malfunctioning tanning bed that gave her a mild shock the other day. Figuring it might work, Lisa places the Creature in the tanning bed and electrocutes the Creature. Surprisingly, the treatment proves effective, and the Creature regains his hearing. With this newfound discovery, Lisa devises a plan to get a new hand for the Creature.

Directed by Zelda Williams in her feature debut, Lisa FRANKENSTEIN stumbles with a script by Diablo Cody. The film struggles to find its identity, caught between a dark comedy and a realistic portrayal. Ultimately, it lands in an unsatisfying middle ground, neither dark nor real enough. The narrative style evokes Tim Burton’s work, with Cole Sprouse channeling a young Johnny Depp. However, the film lacks the exceptional set design and costumes that are a hallmark of Burton’s movies.

The first 40 minutes drag considerably. The film spends too much time introducing supporting characters who have little impact on the main plot, making it feel bloated. The protagonist, Lisa, is somewhat unlikeable. While her trauma is understandable, her inconsiderate and mean behavior towards others makes it difficult to root for her. The supposed emotional singing scene also falls flat, feeling out of place within the narrative.

Lisa FRANKENSTEIN was theatrically released in the United States on 9 February 2024, and in the United Kingdom on 1 March.