2024's Most Underrated Sci-Fi Gem With 80s Vibes Just Landed on Peacock
The new movie received mixed reviews from critics and flopped at the box office. And yet it can already be called an instant cult classic.
Summary
- Diablo Cody is known for her witty and unconventional screenplays that become iconic despite the criticism.
- In 2024, a horror comedy written by her was released, which received cold reviews from critics, but embraced by audiences.
- The film is now available for streaming on Peacock.
For anyone who saw films like Juno and Jennifer's Body in high school, Diablo Cody, the writer of those films, became a cult figure offering guidance on how to navigate the complexities of adulthood. After all, they offered honest stories told through a feminist lens that, unlike other '00s movies and TV shows, addressed pressing issues for teens and young adults, from finding direction in life and self-acceptance to claiming the body autonomy (and, of course, offered a revenge on all the bullies and misogynists).
And now, in 2024, a new movie has been released, written by Diablo Cody. Like Jennifer's Body, it flopped at the box office and received mixed reviews, but sometimes commercial success and the opinions of professional reviewers don't always play a role in shaping the opinions of ordinary viewers. Just as the Megan Fox movie became a cult favorite, the new modern and decidedly unappreciated comedy-horror Lisa Frankenstein promises to become a new classic — especially since it is now available for streaming on Peacock.
A Gothic Horror Comedy from the Writer of Jennifer's Body
Directed by Robin Williams' daughter Zelda and written by Diablo Cody, Lisa Frankenstein was inspired by 1980s horror comedies and teen romances, but its gothic undertones will remind many of both classic Victorian novels (written primarily by Mary Shelley, of course) and Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands. Only with a slightly darker, murderous twist.
The plot follows high school student Lisa (Kathryn Newton), an introverted goth girl grieving after her mother is brutally killed by an axe-murderer. Her father has married a new woman, and her stepmother does not like Lisa at all, so the protagonist prefers to spend her time in the local cemetery in the company of the grave of a young Victorian man who died in 1837. One day, during a thunderstorm, she makes a wish to be with him, and the young man (played by Cole Sprouse and known in the credits as The Creature) does indeed rise as the undead, driven only by love.
But it wouldn't be a horror movie without references to the slashers of the time, and so the movie takes a bloody turn as The Creature, seeking to regain lost body parts, kills those who have been mean to Lisa. In a completely absurd way, they reanimate him through electrocution caused by Lisa's half-sister's broken tanning bed.
A Movie That Deserves to Become a Cult Classic
As mentioned above, the film was received rather coldly by critics, with a score of only 51% on Rotten Tomatoes. As the score suggests, it was considered a mixed bag, as despite a good idea and excellent dynamic performances by the actors, the pacing and plot development proved to be too rushed, and the genre mishmash did not allow the film to be perceived as either a full-fledged horror or a full-fledged comedy.
However, audiences were much warmer to Lisa Frankenstein, leaving it with a score of 81% on Rotten Tomatoes. Many were impressed by Zelda Williams' direction, with a visual style reminiscent of the '80s. In addition, casual viewers noted that while neither the quality of the writing nor the dialogue in any way compares to Jennifer's Body, it is still an intriguing teen story with gothic-fantasy elements.
Given the lighthearted nature of the story (despite all the horror scenes) and the ambiguous and at times dark, but very life-affirming ending, all indications are that Lisa Frankenstein will be a Halloween favorite, especially with its addition on Peacock.