In the year 2056 – the not so distant future – an epidemic of organ failures devastates the planet. Out of the tragedy, a savior emerges: GeneCo, a biotech company that offers organ transplants, for a price. Those who miss their payments are scheduled for repossession and hunted by villainous Repo Men. In a world where surgery addicts are hooked on painkilling drugs and murder is sanctioned by law, a sheltered young girl searches for the cure to her own rare disease as well as information about her family's mysterious history. After being sucked into the haunting world of GeneCo, she is unable to turn back, as all of her questions will be answered at the wildly anticipated spectacular event: The Genetic Opera.
Genre(s): Horror, Musical, Sci-Fi
Runtime: 98 minutes
Rating: 6.5/10 (6,448 votes)
Release Date: 18 July 2008
Country: USA
Languages: English
Company: Twisted Pictures
Sound: DTS, Dolby Digital, SDDS
MPAA: Rated R for strong bloody violence and gore, language, some drug and sexual content.
Director(s): Darren Lynn Bousman
Producer(s):
Troy Begnaud – associate producer
Peter Block – executive producer
Darren Lynn Bousman – executive producer
Mark Burg – producer
Jason Constantine – executive producer
Sarah Greenberg – executive producer
Yoshiki Hayashi – executive producer (as Yoshiki)
Daniel J. Heffner – producer (as Daniel Jason Heffner)
Oren Koules – producer
Carl Mazzocone – producer
Jonathan McHugh – executive producer
Tim Palen – executive producer
Darren Smith – associate producer
Terrance Zdunich – associate producer
Writer(s):
Darren Smith – (screenplay) &
Terrance Zdunich – (screenplay)
Darren Smith – (play) &
Terrance Zdunich – (play)
Cast:
Alexa Vega – Shilo Wallace
Paul Sorvino – Rotti Largo
Anthony Head – Nathan / Repo Man (as Anthony Stewart Head)
Sarah Brightman – Blind Mag
Paris Hilton – Amber Sweet
Bill Moseley – Luigi Largo
Nivek Ogre – Pavi Largo (as Ogre)
Terrance Zdunich – Graverobber
Sarah Power – Marni
Jessica Horn – Jessica Adams
Music: Darren Smith, Terrance Zdunich
Tagline: Not Your Parent's Opera
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When I heard that the creative team behind SAW was creating a musical Iwas skeptical, but also intrigued. I ended up seeing REPO! The GeneticOpera and turns out that all of my fears were completely justified.That being said, I believe that the basic story of the organrepossession is a brilliant concept, and I loved how the back storiesto the characters were all explained like a comic book strip, however,the rest of the movie lets down the good parts.
THE CAST: there are a few exceptions to this, such as Anthony Head, whoI loved in the Buffy series, his voice was good. Also Alexa Vega alsoshowed promise with her voice, although most of the time their voiceswere not utilized to their full potential. Also Sarah Brightman, a verytalented singer, but again not used very well. Then there is quitepossibly the biggest mistake a film maker can make, putting ParisHilton in your film. why? THE MUSIC: A majority of the music to me wasjust noise, there was no catchy rhythms r anything, again there aresome exceptions such as I didn't know I'd love you so much. And Againputting Paris Hilton in 'singing' after that album she made, one wouldhave thought no one would ever ask her to sing again.
In the end I believe that REPO! had soooooooo much potential, which wassquandered on poor choices.
Looks good, and a good idea, but the music is lousy. It's composedalmost entirely of those tuneless dialogue/exposition scenes that makeup the boring bits of all the great musicals you've seen, all the sametone, level and mood, and none of the tunes you leave the theatrehumming. Watch Dr Horrible's Singalong Blog, and you pick up the songsimmediately. Not so with this. A sadly wasted opportunity. Most of thecast are fine, but Alexa Vega's surprisingly weak. It's a shame,because cinema's crying out for something different like this, and themore failures we have like this the less likely it will be that theytake off. I notice a lot of people are comparing it with Rocky Horror,which is apt, because that's another film loved by people who want tobelong to something. But at least that has some songs you can hum.
Repo! has ambition and even a bit of talent. Unfortunately, the talentis badly wasted, largely due to a musical score that's weak, and fastn' sloppy editing that does nothing to develop the characters.
Sarah Brightman, for instance, has a world class voice… horriblywasted on the music she performs, although at least she was given thesaving grace of writing her own lyrics… Unfortunately, the othercharacters were not so fortunate, as the lyrics were painfully inaneand banal at points.
Indeed, the only character who *didn't* suffer from painfully badlyrics and music was Terrance Zdunich, who, along with Darren Smith,created Repo and wrote the music and lyrics. He was apparently aware ofhow *his* narrative approach would work with the music, and made surethat it didn't overpower what he was trying to get across… butunfortunately, he didn't give that same courtesy to poor SarahBrightman or Paul Sorvino.
Paris Hilton was given a Razzie for her performance… and though itwas pretty weak, it's really hard to say she was worse than other partsof this movie. While director Darren Lynn Bousman delivered a visualstyle that was strong — albeit a bit too derivative of the video gameBioshock in parts for comfort — he also brought his fast'n'choppy Sawediting with him, which was unfortunate, as more style was needed.
Musically, I really like Ogre from Skinny Puppy. I appreciate the vocaltalents of Sarah Brightman. I wanted to like this. Unfortunately, Icouldn't, because the underlying musical sucks. No amount of windowdressing can change that fact.
First, I feel I must clarify something. Putting blood and guts and gothgirls in a movie does not make it edgy, a cult classic, or provocative.It also needs to have acting, good songs if it is a musical, and aninteresting story. I have not found a movie I have disliked watchingmore than this in a long time. As my title says, I felt like I waswatching some Disney, Jonas bros kind of crap. But whereas Disneychannel stories cater to Hollister type crowds, this is for the trendy,just as spoiled teenagers at Hot Topic. To me there was no difference,it was just blood and guts instead of haircuts and glitter.
The lyrics and songs were terrible. The song "infected" was pointedlybad, and I cringed through most of her whiny teenager performance. "I'minfected….with your GENETICS". I believe there was some sort of linelike "damn these GENETICS!" that made me want to vomit. The graverobber was some over-made up guy with this brooding "I'm an attractive,brooding trendy goth guy in a music video" attitude. I think he'ssupposed to come across as deep, mysterious and bad ass, but he justcomes across as more of a self-centered, shallow fashion model thenParis Hilton does.
At one point, in a perfect "like srsly omigos u guiz lololol" styledline, she spouts "why, cuz i'm seventeen, well, it's better thanforty!" which then cuts to a horrific rock and roll sugar-coatedspoiled brat anthem. Every teenybopper who chose hot topic overambercrombie was probably rocking out. "Ya, my dad is so lame, he makesme take out the trash it's no fair, i'll show him what a bad ass rebelI am!" This one scene, this Joan Jett-respect killing scene, was morepainful that any scene I have ever seen in any movie. Ever.
The whole movie was filled with horrible lines that I could go on andon about. Bottom line is this, this movie made me cringe in it'shorribleness. Omigosh, guts and singing at the same time? Yes, trendyteenagers go see it and pretend it's ground breaking, and pretend it'sa cult classic, but it's not. I love gore movies, I love horror movies,and any self respecting gore hound or true hardcore horror fan willstay away from Repo, forever.
For the DVD release of this (the Scandinavian one at least) they madeabsolutely sure that no mention of it being a musical appeared anywhereon the cover, knowing full well that musicals just aren't good sellershere.
So there you are with your new "Thriller/Horror" movie and right awaythey start to sing. WTF? Your money is gone. It is unwatchable and canonly be classified as a scam.
No, I'm not fanatically opposed to musicals any more than I amfanatically against porn. There just isn't very much of it that is anygood, that's all. For instance I liked Singing in The Rain even thoughI was born a long long time after its era and also happen to bestraight. Not only was it very professionally made and scored but youcould tell what it was before you paid to see it.
But this is pure exploitation. A fake front meant to lure you in.Exactly why people will never stop illegally downloading movies,because as long as they are lied to by marketing departments, the onlyway of knowing for sure is to see for yourself first.
Hello!!(: This Movie Is Great!! I Love To Sing To All The Songs..And Nathan(The Character) Needs To Pass On And Make A Album And Pass On To Other GREEAAAAAT Movies..His Notes Just Give Me Majorrrr Chills..And Shilo, Is Insanely Crazy Talented Also..And Blind Mag! Awesome!! They Are The Three BEST BEST BEST BEST BEST BEST Eveeeeeeeerrrrr In The History Of Best Singers That I’ve Heard. Litterally. I Would Really Like To See Them Make Single Albums..I Would Get Them 10000000000000000000%!!!!! (Litterally) That Too…
But This Comment Is Better..And You Guys Should Of Made Millions On This Movie! It’s Better Then What People Think..Honestly.:)
-Michaela-