Repo! The Genetic Opera

Genre - Fantasy/Horror/Musical
Year Released - 2008
Running Time - 98 minutes
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman (who also directed Saw II - IV)
Written by Darren Smith and Terrance Zdunich
Cast Includes:
Alexa Vega (Carmen from Spy Kids 1 - 3)
Anthony Head (Giles from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series)
Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas and The Rocketeer)
Paris Hilton (the '05 Re-Make of House of Wax)
Bill Moseley (Chop Top from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and Otis from House of 1,000 Corpses & The Devil's Rejects)
Nivek Ogre
Sarah Brightman
Terrance ZdunichRating: 5 Skulls

Plot Summary:

In the near future, a biotech company saves mankind with synthetic replacements for failed organs.

But those who default on their new liver or heart are subject to repossession.

Shilo navigates this dystopia while searching for a cure for her rare illness. Her odyssey is set to a number of catchy songs in this tongue-in-cheek opera.

Review:

What a fantastic movie! I totally enjoyed this one, even more than I thought I would!

[I am not a huge fan of musicals - while I enjoyed Sweeney Todd, I would have to say that my favorite musical is/was Phantom of the Paradise, though Repo! may just replace that, I'm not yet quite sure. The director, Darren Lynn Bousman, is going to be in Milwaukee, this Friday evening, presenting this movie at a local theatre, so perhaps I'll make up my mind, after I've seen it on the big screen, with an actual audience]

The beginning of the film is shown comic-book style, letting us know that it is the not-too-distant future, where a mass epidemic of organ failures has taken place, causing death & chaos. Out of the turmoil, a savior emerges in the form of GeneCo. . .

There is also a singing narrator, if you will, in the character of the grave robber (played by co-writer Terrance Zdunich) The grave robber lets us know exactly what is going on, as do more comic-book illustration,s which provide us with flashback sequences.

The story is multi-layered, which really surprised me - there is a lot going on [which I do not want to discuss in-depth, as I do not want to ruin anything]

I will just tell you that the main character's are Shilo (Alexa Vega) and her father Nathan (Anthony Head) who, unknown to her, is a Repo man. Paul Sorvino plays Rotti Largo, owner of GeneCo. [there is a background history between Nathan & Rotti that is quite interesting indeed] Bill Moseley, Paris Hilton, and Nivek Ogre play Rotti's three ungrateful children, who constantly bicker over who will run the company after Rotti's demise [he is sick] Sarah Brightman plays Blind Mag, whose past is intertwined with Shilo's. The grave robber is not only narrator, but also a drug dealer, who extracts his drug from the dead! [like I said, a lot going on! And I am happy to say that it all ties together quite nicely at the end!]

I loved everything about this movie, from the stellar sets, to the superior cast [especially Anthony Head - he was outstanding!]

This movie is destined to become a classic - I can see it playing, years from now, in midnight showings ala Rocky Horror Picture Show [which I have never seen by the way]

It is a shame that Lionsgate gave this film the same theatrical treatment that it gave The Midnight Meat Train - Hopefully it will do well on DVD. Definitely give this one a chance!!

Here's the Trailer:


Also, here are some more posters, from the film, for you to enjoy:

and I just have to give this one a "Bone Breaker Award" for Best Musical of 2008! :-)

Jason