Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)

Written by Darren Smith & Terrance Zdunich
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman

First off, I'm not a big fan of musicals in general, but I figured if there is one I'll love, it is this one. Adapted from the stage show by the original writers, this is the highly stylized story of a futuristic genetics company that grows and sells organs to those in need. However, if they get behind on their organ payments, GeneCo got a bill passed saying they could do legal repossessions on their non-paying customers, which obviously most often kills them.

GeneCo was founded by Rotti Largo (Paul Sorvino) who has built it into an empire, which he will one day hand down to one of his kids; the psychopathic Luigi (Bill Moseley), the surgically obsessed Amber (Paris Hilton), and the equally maniacal but scarily strange Pavi (Nivek Ogre of Skinny Puppy). The family is eccentric, and their individual thirsts for power and fame just may well sink the family altogether.

One of Largo's most trusted employees is Nathan (Anthony Head) who secretly works as GeneCo's Repo Man. He has a daughter named Shiloh (Alexa Vega) who he keeps under strict lock and key so he knows where she is at all times, telling her she has a blood disease that is incurable, she must stay alone in her room.

As the story unfolds we learn what drove each of the Largo family members to what they have become today, and we learn of Rotti's lost love for a beautiful woman named Marni, who ended up marrying Nathan after leaving Rotti. Nathan works as Rotti's Repo Man, and can never tell his daughter any of the history that transpired between he and Rotti, for fear that she may get curious and want to leave into the world.

I really liked the story, and the way they did the reposessions, and the concept in general is an idea that really tickles my fancy. However, I must say overall this film was a failure in my eyes, the music and the lyrics to the music just plain sucks. I understand they were going for an uncoventional musical, but the fact is, if the music isn't any good, it's hard to look past that at everything else.

However, I can, and I especially love the overall visual design of the film. The melding of the best techniques creates an amazing world for the story to unfold, the gore is excellent, the sets and costumes are works of art in their own right, and the camerawork and cinematography are all top notch. While I like most of the actors involved, I do feel that they missed a lot of things in the performance, instead becoming preoccupied with the singing aspect of the film, which none of them is very good at, Nivek Ogre was the best one, and I suppose that makes sense.

I felt the good outweighed the bad, and I'm glad I watched the film. I was very disappointed with the music and the singing, but if you can look past that (and it's a big thing to look past) then this is a good, bloody little horror film. I would rather have seen the same story told in a different context, like without the singing, because it interests me, but overall I'm sure it's a good adaptation of the original work.

8.8/10