This 2024 Flick From 'Jennifer's Body' Writer Is the Most Charming Horror of Recent Years

In 2024, Diablo Cody, the screenwriter known for the cult horror movie Jennifer's Body, returned with a new work – Lisa Frankenstein.

Zelda Williams, daughter of the legendary Robin Williams, made her directorial debut with a story about how grief, teenage angst, and a lightning strike can create the oddest and most charming couple of the year – and one of the most charming horror comedies in recent memory.

What Is 'Lisa Frankenstein' About?

In 1989, Lisa, a quiet and withdrawn high school student, tries to find her place in a world without her mother. She lives with her father, stepmother, and stepsister, all of whom try to help her adapt in their own ways. However, they don't understand the depth of her grief.

Lisa often escapes reality at a cemetery where she visits the grave of a young Victorian-era musician – she imagines what he might have been like in life. During a thunderstorm, lightning strikes the tombstone, and the dead man comes to life.

Lisa decides to transform him into the man of her dreams. To do so, she performs various surgeries on his body, tearing off and reattaching limbs at home.

'Lisa Frankenstein' Is a Charming, Heartfelt Throwback to the Spirit of the 80s

Lisa Frankenstein embraces its weirdness – it's full of undead humor, homemade limb-severing and -reattaching surgeries, and Burtonian Gothic references. While tenderness can easily veer into sophistication, these oddities delight, amuse, and electrify.

Kathryn Newton brilliantly embodies the quirky heroine, who is simultaneously touching, funny, and a bit scary.

Cole Sprouse conveys a full range of emotions as the silent zombie. His character is simultaneously terrifying and touching, and his silent devotion to Lisa becomes the heart of the movie.

'Lisa Frankenstein' Is a Perfect Pick for a Chill Evening

As with Jennifer's Body, critics gave the new movie a lukewarm reception, but ordinary viewers immediately saw its cult potential. The story of Lisa Frankenstein is about outsiders who find each other in the most unexpected place.

The movie explores grief, loneliness, and the importance of finding someone who accepts you for who you are, even if that person has been dead for a hundred years.

While the flick doesn't aspire to high art, it is sincere, funny, and incredibly charming. If you're tired of serious, dark horror movies and want to experience the genre with a smile, Lisa Frankenstein is just the thing.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Lisa Frankenstein'?

• Lisa Frankenstein has 52% from critics and 82% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 6.1/10.

• On Letterboxd, Lisa Frankenstein scored 3.5/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Lisa Frankenstein'?

Lisa Frankenstein is available to stream on Peacock.