Lisa Frankenstein review: "A neat mash-up of high-school comedy and horror tropes"

GamesRadar+ VerdictA neat mash-up of high-school comedy and horror tropes. Pity it flounders in the final third, though.

GamesRadar+ Verdict

GamesRadar+ Verdict

A neat mash-up of high-school comedy and horror tropes. Pity it flounders in the final third, though.

A neat mash-up of high-school comedy and horror tropes. Pity it flounders in the final third, though.

Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy.

Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy.

Though she has a crush on the hunky editor of the school lit magazine (Henry Eikenberry), Lisa soon finds her real love – at the graveyard – when a corpse (Riverdale’s Cole Sprouse) comes back to life. He doesn’t speak and cries tears that smell like vomit. Nevertheless, hiding him at home in her closet, Lisa is smitten – and becomes more so as things get increasingly macabre.

Sprouse gives a lively and expressive Edward Scissorhands-esque performance as ‘The Creature’, but sadly, the more violent the film gets, the less engaging it becomes. The final act also drifts, lacking bite, when it should arrow towards a darkly comic denouement. Still, filled with Cody’s trademark wit and some nifty 1980s design schemes, it’s a slick, sick ride with strong teen appeal.

Lisa Frankenstein is in US theaters on February 9 and in UK cinemas on 1 March.

For more, here’s our guide to all theupcoming horror movieson the way.

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