"Repo! The Genetic Opera" - spoiler movie review

I'd only even heard of this film on a Friday, but we just had to see it, so we got together with our twisted friends and went to an early afternoon showing of the film on the very next day.

It's definitely not a film for everyone, even less so than something like "Tropic Thunder" or "Hamlet 2", but I really loved this film with all its quirkiness.

The main story is that organ failure is fairly common in society at this point, but it's too expensive for most people to afford an organ transplant. A company is willing to do the operations on credit and a repayment plan, but if they default on their payment, then a repo man is sent to repossess the transplanted organ(s). Yeah, did I mention it's pretty bloody and gory?

The film is shot in a very stylized fashion, with some bits done in comic-book style, but I really liked that. There were parts of the style that also reminded me of "Moulin Rouge". You get the main story, but then you get the background story of the side characters and learn their relationships to the other characters you already know, and in the end, everyone's got some kind of relationship with everyone else.

Anthony Head was really terrific in this film, and I loved watching him belt out some of the songs. I loved the balance of him playing doting father Nathan and the terrifying repo man.


Don't mess with Giles...um...I mean...the Repo Man.

Alexa Vega was absolutely terrific as Shilo, Nathan's daughter. She was previously known for being in Disney's "Spy Kids" franchise, so this is definitely a departure. I loved her songs, especially in the fantasy sequence in her bedroom. (Here's a segment of that scene.) She's really the key to the entire story.


Alexa Vega as Shilo.

Paul Sorvino was pretty good in this film as well, though I was surprised that he actually sang.

Terrance Zdunich, co-writer of the film and co-creator of the original play upon which the film is based, does a fabulous job as the graverobber and sort of narrator and Greek chorus.

Both Sarah Brightman (as Blind Mag) and Paris Hilton (as Amber Sweet) were great in this film - perfect casting! Oh, there's a segment with Sarah in a hooded cape - she so looks like Christine from "The Phantom of the Opera" in the segment when she's going to visit her father's grave!


Sarah Brightman as Blind Mag, not Christine Daae.

Here's a segment of a sequence with Shilo and Blind Mag.

Here's a short segment of a song done by Amber Sweet and the graverobber.

There are reports that this is intended as the middle segment of a trilogy story, and I'm definitely on board for any sequels. I thought I might want the CD, but after seeing the movie, the songs don't really lend themselves to regular singing, so I think I'll just settle for the DVD and whatever extras might be on there.

Here's the trailer for the film.

Here's the official website.