By: Emily Riddle
Summary
Lisa Swallows is not like other girls. She is a misunderstood teenager who happens to talk to the grave of a Victorian man. After a night of horrific events, Swallows goes to the graveyard where he is buried. There, she wishes to be with him (six feet under). Instead, green lightning strikes his grave and brings him back to life. Together, they kill those who have wronged Swallows and fall in love along the way.
Ranking
4/5
3 Reasons Why I Gave it 4 Stars
Kathryn Newton I have loved every project of Newton’s I’ve watched, and this is no different. I fell in love with her acting when she starred in “The Society” and have followed her career since. This movie is a great combination of my favorite things: Kathryn Newton and comedy horror. With that being said, she hasn’t solidified herself as an iconic “scream queen” or “final girl” like Jenna Ortega, Samara Weaving, or Melissa Barrera, so I’m unsure if horror is a genre she should be in.
Laugh out loud funny I found myself laughing out loud many times while watching. However, it was more of a comedy than it was horror. The only horror aspect was the murder and the magic storm that reanimated the man in the grave.
Period Piece This movie was set in the ‘80s. I love it when a movie or show dives deep into the period they’re set in. Not only did this movie nail it with the clothing and atmosphere, but the movie felt like it could’ve been released in the ‘80s. It was very reminiscent of “Edward Scissorhands.”
Favorite Quotes
“I can’t just get you new parts. I mean, you’re a dead man, not a Chrysler LeBaron.” - Lisa Swallows
“You don’t have to worry about anything because your mom’s already been murdered.” - Taffy
“And Oscar the Grouch said, “SCRAM!’” - Taffy
Improvements More Horror, Less Comedy I think the movie could’ve leaned into the horror aspect more. I’m not asking for jumpscares, but the lack of blood left much to be desired for me. It was a hilarious movie, but there didn’t seem to be any stakes or consequences like many horror movies. It was just murder, cut off a body part, and on to the next thing.
Casting
As I said before, Kathryn Newton does no wrong. She perfectly fits into any setting she is put in. The same cannot be said for Cole Sprouse, who plays the Victorian corpse. While he has the looks of a Victorian man, he does not fit the mold of a zombie. He flails around and lacks emotion until he gets enough new body parts. Also, Sprouse has shown his true colors within the past few years, making him less attractive to know his actual personality. What Others Think “I did not expect anything that was coming in this movie. Every second was shocking and unexpected, but I enjoyed it. I like to call this movie a coming-of-age movie but for the mentally ill. However, I do think they should’ve gone into Lisa’s mom being murdered more. Like, I would be messed up too. I don’t blame her for what she did. If anything, it’s her father’s fault.” (MaKenna Nord, Bellarmine University student, in-person interview)
“The more you think about it, the worse it gets, so just don’t think about it. Every couple of minutes, I would turn to my girlfriend and ask, ‘Why? Why is this happening?’” (Henry Beck, University of Kentucky student, FaceTime interview)
“I would say this movie is for the girls. It’s one of those movies that you watch at a slumber party with all your girl friends and then gossip the rest of the night.” (Josie Followell, Bellarmine University student, in-person interview)
Comments