Oscar-winning writer Diablo Cody has just released one of the strangest and most original films of 2024 thus far – Lisa Frankenstein. It features Kathryn Newton, who is fresh off playing Cassie Lang in Antman and The Wasp: Quantumania, as the title character with the official synopsis below:
A coming of RAGE love story from acclaimed writer Diablo Cody (Jennifer’s Body) about a misunderstood teenager and her high school crush, who happens to be a handsome corpse. After a set of playfully horrific circumstances bring him back to life, the two embark on a murderous journey to find love, happiness… and a few missing body parts along the way.
When you first see the trailer for Lisa Frankenstein, these are the three things that instantly come to mind: weird, darkly comedic, and ORIGINAL. Lisa Frankenstein came across as a fun throwback to the horror comedies of the 80’s and the trailer did an excellent job of conveying its oddball premise to the masses. Sadly, the film failed to connect at the box office as it made a paltry $3.8 million during opening weekend. It won’t be John Carter (or Aryglle) levels of a flop, but it’s clear that Lisa Frankenstein isn’t connecting to the masses like Universal hoped it would.
The Premise Is Not Made For The Mainstream
Diablo Cody is a notable writer. She came into the scene with Juno, an indie darling that got mainstream attention. The film became a smash hit and made over $200 million worldwide. Plus, it’s the reason that Cody has an Academy Award. However, Cody’s follow-up, Jennifer’s Body, is in the same camp as Lisa Frankenstein. That feature was badly advertised as a sexy horror-thriller, hiding the feminist angle in favor of highlighting Megan Fox and the body count.
Jennifer’s Body was a strange film, but a misunderstood horror-comedy that slowly became a cult classic. Lisa Frankenstein will likely end up in the same boat as Jennifer’s Body. The premise is way too strange for the masses. It’s not particularly a horror film as the comedy and romance angle is played up more than anything. The only IP it banks on is classic 80’s horror comedies, with Lisa Frankenstein putting its own stamp as a feature.
This film was not designed for mass appeal. Given the reported $13 million production tag, Lisa Frankenstein is allowed to be something so oddball and strange that it mainly focuses on a select group of film lovers. However, the film doesn’t go far enough with its premise either. This is a horror comedy that does promise kills but in the form of a PG-13 setting.
The PG-13 Rating Held Back Lisa Frankenstein’s True Potential
Ratings aren’t particularly the determining factor in what makes a good film. However, a movie can benefit if it has a certain rating that gives it the freedom to do what it pleases. While this is a different genre, Deadpool being a gory R-rated film is a part of the franchise’s identity. It helps highlight the unique aspect of Deadpool’s character, who is a mercenary who loves to kill. He’s the true definition of an anti-hero.
When your premise focuses on an undead character coming back to life and murder ensues, it should be a given that an R-rating is attached to it. Lisa Frankenstein has a strong and original premise. The film itself is a good watch overall, but there’s a feeling that it’s holding back because it still wants to play to the masses.
Films like Nightmare on Elm Street, Evil Dead, or Heathers can strongly convey their message due to the strength of their R-rating. If Lisa Frankenstein wanted to tap into the horror crowd then it should’ve tapped more into that aspect in a clever manner that highlights the strong premise better.
It Didn’t Have That Satirical Edge Like Some Cult Classics
Shaun of the Dead, Cabin in the Woods, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, Scream – these are examples of classic horror comedies that take a swipe at the genre it’s portraying. None of that is within Lisa Frankenstein. You understand the clear ’80s vibe that it’s going for, but the film doesn’t seem to be a satire of a popular genre.
This isn’t to say that Lisa Frankenstein is a bad movie because of that reason. Not every horror comedy has to be satirical. But from a box office perspective, audiences tend to gravitate towards the familiar. This generation is not too fond of 80’s horror comedies like Little Shop of Horrors, Beetlejuice, or An American Werewolf in London. Though Lisa Frankenstein looked like a blast based on the trailers, it was ultimately aimed at a small demographic that didn’t have much power at the box office.
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