‘Lisa Frankenstein’ is an explosion of ’80s references with a side of decomposed romance

‘Lisa Frankenstein’ is an ’80s-inspired horror-comedy about a teenager (Kathryn Newton) and her undead boyfriend (Cole Sprouse), blending nostalgia with a disjointed plot.

By Dana Barbuto/Boston Movie News

Many women’s magazines offer tips on snagging the man of your dreams. I would think reanimating a lovelorn Victorian-era corpse isn’t one of them. Shows you what I know. Because here comes “Lisa Frankenstein,” a campy horror-comedy about an outcast teenager transforming an undead dude into the perfect high school boyfriend. That’s so fetch!

First things first, if you’re expecting gobs of gore or gut-busting laughs, you might want to redirect your attention. “Lisa Frankenstein” is about as terrifying as a kitten and as funny as a dad joke. Directed by Zelda Williams (daughter of Robin) in her feature debut, this film puts an ‘80s spin on Mary Shelley’s classic horror tale, with shades of John Hughes (“Weird Science”) and Tim Burton (“Edward Scissorhands”) influencing every frame.

Kathryn Newton stars as Lisa Swallows and Cole Sprouse as The Creature in the horror-comedy, "Lisa Frankenstein." (Michele K. Short/Focus Features) — *Kathryn Newton stars as Lisa Swallows and Cole Sprouse as The Creature in the horror-comedy “Lisa Frankenstein.” (Michele K. Short/Focus Features)*

From fashion choices like jellies and leg warmers to beauty trends like blue eye shadow and big hair, the film creates a vivid homage to the ’80s. It’s a nostalgia overload threatening to erase the very essence of the era. Sony Walkman, White Rain, oversized bows – they’re all here, and they’re not leaving anytime soon. It’s as if the filmmakers decided to load up on cultural references to distract from a threadbare script. Gimmicks only go so far.

Naturally, there’s a tragic backstory for the heroine, Lisa (Kathryn Newton from “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania”), who witnessed her mother’s demise at the hands of an axe murderer. Now, Lisa contends with an emotionally abusive stepmother (Carla Gugino) and endures being labeled a “freak” at school.

We meet Lisa in Bachelors Cemetery, where she’s happily decorating graves because “no one should be forgotten.” Later, it’s revealed that Lisa is crushing on her high school’s literary magazine editor. She gets tongue-tied talking to him at a party, which, given the ensuing circumstances, is the least of her problems.

Things take a turn for the ludicrous when The Creature (Cole Sprouse), a corpse whose communication skills are limited to grunting and sighing, rises from the dead and shows up at her doorstep. And not in a suave, sexy way. We’re talking decomposed, muddy, and smelling like a seafood dumpster. Together, they embark on a deadly murder spree to harvest a hand, an ear, and, ahem, another important appendage, from the folks who have humiliated Lisa.

In an otherwise lackluster affair, Liza Soberano shines as Lisa’s high-energy cheerleader stepsister, Taffy, the only one embracing Lisa’s oddball personality. Unfortunately, the script by Diablo Cody, who masterfully captured the teen psyche in “Juno,” and created a cult horror classic in “Jennifer’s Body,” falls woefully short. She strikes a glaring imbalance between the absurd and the relatable.

As for Newton, her nonstop talking and knack for calamity are the essence of an awkward teenager. But everything else about the movie is one-note. The narrative feels disjointed and predictable. Perhaps the filmmakers should have expelled as much effort resurrecting the script as they did reawakening The Creature.

If you’re really in the mood for a good Frankengirl flick, skip past this one and head across the hall to see “Poor Things.” You can thank me later.