Monster High Electrified Review

Ciao lovelies! Recently I watched the new Monster High movie, Electrified! I decided to do a review since Monster High is one of my special interests!

WARNING- Spoilers below!

(PS- I am so sorry this post is later in the day! Still trying to get my mojo back...my apologies! I'll work harder!)

This movie is the second movie in the new reboot canon. In the Monster High fandom, there are now 2 canons (or official universes), the old canon (before the “Welcome to Monster High” movie) and the new canon (the reboot, so far its “Welcome to Monster High” and “Electrified”).

This new canon’s backstory is a bit different, and I honestly don’t love the backstory here as much. But I do like certain aspects: mostly how it’s

1. SO GAY OH MY GOD I’m SO HAPPY MY OTP (one true pairing, my fave couple) HAS A CHANCE TO BE TOGETHER THANK GOD FINALLY I MAY HAVE SOME REPRESENTATION IN MY FAVE FANDOM and

2. Probably going to usher in the scene revival (along with Suicide Squad, but more on this will be in a different blog post.)

I want to review the new movie Electrified in depth today! I plan on buying it on DVD when it comes out (but for now, I’ve watched it via streaming because I’m a bad kid and couldn’t wait!).

For this review, I want to review different aspects of the movie in comparison to the other reboot movie, “Welcome to Monster High.” I may occasionally also compare things to the old canon. So let’s go!

OVERALL STORY (HUGE spoilers in this section! Reader beware!)

Electrified was a fun movie because it brings back some elements of the old canon’s movies that I like so much, specifically having subplots going on alongside main plots. In Electrified, Clawdeen is following her dreams of making fashions for both Monsters and Normies (humans). Her squad (the main ghouls- Draculaura, Frankie, Cleo, Lagoona, and surprisingly, Ari) team up to help her, and they begin turning the old power station where Frankie used to live into a salon.

Meanwhile, Frankie meets a new ghoul named Twyla. (I’m so glad they brought her back!). Frankie notices that Moanica and her Zomboys are acting strange and Twyla offers to spy on them. Frankie agrees to this but expresses concern for Twyla, and later saves Twyla from being struck by lightning, but Frankie gets struck.

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She seems normal at first, but becomes more and more jittery, absorbing power from her surroundings and begins to glow blue.

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She ends up adding the extra “spark” to Clawdeen’s designs, also creating a small, not very cute (in my opinion) electricity-creature named Znap:

While the designs are being electrified, Twyla finds out that Moanica is using Frankie’s science experiment from the beginning of the movie to steal power from the normies, all under the power station that the ghouls are turning into the salon. Moanica explains that since the normies are afraid of the dark (as explained by Dracula in one of the human studies classes), she wants to make a blackout and terrorize them.

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Moanica’s first attempt to trap the power fails, and when she sees Frankie absorbing electricity, she lets Twyla go. Twyla leads Frankie to Moanica’s power stealing device, and Moanica uses Frankie as the new host for all the normie electricity.

Meanwhile, the salon opening is going well. The normies are loving the new “monster inspired” fashions, and think that all the ghouls are wearing costumes. At the height of their success, Moanica activates her device, now using Frankie as a conduit, and causes a blackout, and then unleashes the Zomboys. They all go and wreak havoc.

The main ghouls go under the power station and find Frankie, full of electricity, in shock. They manage to get her out of it by getting her to create more Znap creatures. They all go to stop Moanica, and a small, rather fun looking battle occurs, resulting in Moanica and the Zomboys being forced to clean up the salon they destroyed as punishment. Clawdeen’s salon has a reopening.

Overall, this storyline is pretty good, and having the multiple dimensions to it keeps viewer interest. I didn’t include all of the subplots in that summary though.

Here are the subplots that didn’t get mentioned:

-The girls rescue a new ghoul (Silvi Timberwolf).

-Silvi, Venus, Wraith, Deuce, and a few other monsters form a band. They spend the entire movie bickering over the name and music style. Silvi and Venus get new electrified outfits. The band settles on incorporating every members ideas at the same time.

-The Dracula and Clawdeen’s mom romantic subplot is strengthened.

-Clawdeen’s inner struggle with the difficulties of creativity and fear of failure.

My Favorite Little Moments That Made Me Smile

-Moanica admitting that she can’t stay mad at the Zomboys, and that they can all go out for ice cream afterwards.

-The Zomboys flirting with a brain that suspiciously wears glasses that look like Ghoulia’s.

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-Dracula screaming and running around, imitating a human afraid of a spider

-Twlya’s obvious crush on Frankie

Overall this storyline for me gets a 4/5. I found that the band subplot was too distracting and kind of irritating. I liked the overall story though. Especially the extra character development it gave everyone.

FASHION

So….This one is…iffy. I liked how the electrified outfits looked on some ghouls:

Frankie’s makeup for it made her look soo cute!

I also liked how it looked on Cleo, and Ari.

But it looked awful on like EVERYONE ELSE. I mean seriously, LOOK AT VENUS! My sweet Eco-punk child looks like a hot mess.

I also agree with Raythe in that why didn’t the guys get electric inspired stuff? As bad as it may have looked on most ghouls, I was still curious on what it may have looked like on the mansters.

And why can’t poor Moanica ever get new clothes or hair? Why is it that only the main ghouls got new looks? (and I guess Silvi and Venus, and arguably Dracula).

Also, poor Lagoona, this look does her NO justice..

Overall, the fashion in this movie (and the dolls) was 3/5. While I liked that they introduced different types of makeup, hair, and fabrics, these looks were hot messes!

MUSIC

So, I have a definite fave from this soundtrack, and it’s “Me and My Amigos.” It’s so sassy, catchy, and perfect for Moanica!

However, that was literally like the only song that was notable.

“Electrified” by the band created in the movie was….not exactly..good, in my opinion.

“Electric Fashion” isn’t really good either. It’s catchy but it’s too simple.

Overall the music was 2/5 compared to the old canon and “Welcome to Monster High.”

DOLLS

The dolls for this movie could also use some help.

For 1, once again I haven’t seen any male dolls released for the reboot. Not even for Electrified.

For 2, the only version of Frankie I can find is the version with Znap, and this sucks, because that version is pretty expensive, and also is less versatile, as you can’t change her clothes. (She’s wired.)

For 3, all the dolls have that crimped hair, and it’s not very soft. The Ari that I got, her hair was very coarse and not fun to handle.

I will say, there’s a lot of detail on the dresses, including all of the different patterns, colors, and textures you see in the movie. They also come with extra hairclips!

Another thing I like about the reboot dolls in general is that the joints are stronger. And the bodies feel more durable (and heavy.) Not to mention, they fit Ever After High doll clothing more easily (though still not perfectly.)

Overall, the Electrified dolls are 4/5!

OTHER MERCH

I haven’t seen any other merch for this movie other than the dolls, which is incredibly disappointing. Let’s hope that more comes out when the movie comes out.

1/5 for hope’s sake!

OTHER TIDBITS

-I don’t like Znap, I’m sorry, I don’t think he’s cute. If the reboot is going to do pets, they should at least give Frankie a stitched together pet like the old canon (Sparky the dog and also the stitched teddy bear).

-They’re slowly developing Frankie and Draculaura’s relationship which I like. Once again, they refrained from shoving in any un-needed male love interests for either of them, let’s hope it stays that way!