Caitlyn King - Lisa Frankenstein

Lisa Frankenstein was released in February of 2024 and received mixed criticism from audiences due to its inability to stick to one genre. The film served as Zelda Williams’ feature-length directorial debut, with a script written by Diablo Cody. It performed poorly in the box office, grossing 9 million USD against the production budget of 13 million USD. During the movie, the titular character Lisa Swallows conducts a series of murders to aid the newly revived Creature.

Despite the mixed reactions from critics, I personally believe that Lisa Frankenstein thoughtfully parallels Mary Shelley’s original Frankenstein novel, with Lisa Swallows acting as foil to Victor Frankenstein in a way. The main point of comparison lies with their relationship with the ‘monster’ in their respective stories; Victor, who arguably had the obligation of all parents to care for and teach their creations, became so afraid of the monster that it developed all-consuming self-hatred as well as resentment towards its creator. Throughout the novel, the monster is shown consistently longing for companionship, with Victor, the family in the woods, even asking for a female to be created so that it wouldn’t be lonely anymore. In contrast, after the initial scare and ensuing chase scene, Lisa shows no fear towards the creature. She is able to see the humanity within it, offering care and interest. Her past experience of traumatic muteness allows her to adjust to the creature’s silence easily. Lisa holds no obligation to care for the creature, like Victor did, and yet she offers the creature a shower, clothes, and shelter. The first few scenes of the movie showed that Lisa even cared for the creature pre-resurrection (albeit, unknowing of what would come in the future) by reading poetry by its grave and entrusting her dead mother’s rosary to the headstone. While Victor’s creation resented its abandonment and therefore its creator, chasing him throughout the countries and trying to ruin his life, the creature in Lisa Frankenstein adored her. It took an active role in protecting her from perceived threats, killing Lisa’s stepmother after hearing how distressed she made Lisa. Throughout the two narratives, the feelings the humans held for their respective monsters are reciprocated ten-fold by the latter.

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