This modern-day version of Frankenstein also brings a sense of realism about the issues involving urban areas today in this really good film from director Bomani J. Story.

Vicaria is a teenager who is suffering from the loss of her brother Chris, killed in a drug deal gone wrong. However, she believes that death is a disease and like most diseases, there can be a cure. Although her theories tend to land her in hot water at school, she is still determined to prove her theories. While still grieving, she blames Kango, the local drug dealer, for Chris’ death for the mere fact it was him who put Chris in the situation that made him lose his life. Despite Kango’s efforts to make Vicaria his next mule, she refuses and yet is forced not to tell anyone.

When Vicaria decides she must try to bring Chris back to life, she tries out an experiment and lo and behold, Chris is alive and well. However, despite the success of the experiment, there is a price to pay. Chris begins to kill Kango’s men one by one and in the midst of his anger, accidentally kills cops as well. When word gets out of a killer, Vicaria realizes who is responsible and does her best to ensure Chris doesn’t come out of hiding. However, Vicaria’s niece Jada has bonded with Chris. To make matters worse, Kango is out to look for the one responsible for his men’s deaths and thinks Vicaria may know who is doing it.

Writer/director Bomani J. Story has done something ingenious in the vein of Mary Shelley’s classic Frankenstein. Combining the classic tale with a modern-day twist that involves the problem of drug running in urban areas and its consequences, Story came up with the idea of making the “Frankenstein” a teenage girl who believes that there can be a cure for death as she is desperate to get her brother back without realizing the possible consequences.

With the name “Vicaria” (a play on Victor von Frankenstein), kudos must go out to Laya DeLeon Hayes as she is excellent in the role of the intellectual teenager. While her intentions may seen morbid in the eyes of others, she believes that she can bring the dead back to life and uses her late brother as the experiment. Edem Atsu-Swansy is great as Chris, the brother turned monster. Decked out in a hoodie and jacket, Atsu-Swansy does an impeccable Karloff style performance with the grunts and minimal speech. However, when he kills, the death scenes are really well done including one amazing kill that left me jaw-dropping.

Denzel Whitaker is great as Kango, the drug lord who becomes the catalyst for the entire spiel as he was the one who hired Chris, leading to his death, and thus leading to Vicaria’s attempt to bring him back to life. He is vicious as he goes as far as trying to make Vicaria his next mule with her constant refusal triggering him at times to ensure she stays quiet. Amani Summer’s Jada is similar to the “little girl” bit of the classic tale only instead of Chris killing her, it is more of trying to reconnect with a member of the family.

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster is a great meshing of a classic horror story with real-life modern-day struggles all driven with excellent performances and direction by Bomani J. Story. Definitely one to check out this year!

WFG RATING: A-

RLJE Films, Allblk, and Shudder presents a Crypt TV production. Director: Bomani J. Story. Producers: Darren Brandl, Jack Davis, and Bomani J. Story. Writer: Bomani J. Story. Cinematography: Daphne Qin Wu. Editing: Annie De Brock.

Cast: Lara DeLeon Hayes, Edem Atsu-Swansy, Denzel Whitaker, Reilly Brooke Stith, Chad L. Coleman, Amani Summer, Beth Felice, Keith Holliday, Ellis Hobbs IV, Jeremy DeCarlos.

The film will be released in select theaters on June 9 and On Demand, and Digital on June 23.