If you’ve ever wanted to sit through a 98 minute Meatloaf music video, “Repo! The Genetic Opera” might be just what the doctor ordered! Let me confess that I had no desire to see this film. I was literally dragged, kicking and screaming, by friends because they wanted to revel in the awfulness of the film rather than choose a film with more rewarding gifts to offer. The trailer alone looked like “High School Musical” directed by Alex Proyas – “Dark City” for the tweens. Darren Lynn Bousman, the director, doesn’t have a creative bone in his body. If he ever did, it was ripped out in some stunt gone haywire from one of his “Saw” films. “Repo! The Genetic Opera” is the modern day equivalent of “Stayin’ Alive”, minus John Travolta and Spandex. It tries to hard to be the next cult phenomenon – the next “Rocky Horror Picture Show”. However, in order to become a cult classic you have to have one thing – the desire to be great. The best cult films were films that tried to hard to be a masterpiece that they turned into a parody of themselves. “Repo!” doesn’t have the wherewithal to know what the hell it is. It’s not a cult film because it doesn’t strive for greatness. If it is striving for greatness, it becomes even more pathetic and sad. This was not only the worst film of the year but, indeed, the most painful and dreadful musical ever created.
Describing the plot to this film is like sympathizing with a rapist – you might understand where it’s coming from, but it will still fuck you up the ass. Basically, Shilo (Alexa Vega) is being held captive by her doctor father, Nathan (Anthony Stewart Head), who doubles as a Repo Man by night. You see – in this world, organ failures are rampant and a company called GeneCo. (headed by the villainous Paul Sorvino and his “Deliverance” kids) is offering them on credit. But, if you don’t pay, the Repo Man comes and collects. There’s something about Sorvino stealing Head’s woman and wanting revenge. There’s something about Head wanting to keep his daughter safe because she has a blood condition. There’s something about Sorvino dying and not wanting to leave his empire to his three mentally retarded children (Ogre, Bill Moseley, Paris Hilton). And then there some dead bitch named Marni who ties it all together somehow. The story is told through the many, many, many, many songs that litter this barren creative landscape. It’s basically a rock opera, though light on the rock and heavy on the opera. There are so many organs ripped out of bodies that you really start paying attention – “Hey! When did a spine become an organ?” The film ends with a “Rocky Horror Picture Show” performance with Sarah Brightman and a shit load of spine blood.
Shall we start with the music? Wow. What else is there to say? Wow. I could bend over and ass fart out a better tune than anything in this heap o’turds. Alexa Vega sounds like she’s channeling that really bad Britney Spears record – take your pick. Bill Moseley and Ogre are so bad that it’s not even laughable – it’s pathetic and wrong. I felt violated by their vocals. Paul Sorvino has a great, booming operatic voice. How did they land him for this film? Did Darren Lynn Bousman give him a ring and say, “Hey, Paul – remember that time I saved your kid from drowning in the river? Well – time to collect!” Despite his strong vocals, Sorvino takes this material so seriously that he becomes laughable himself. Doesn’t he know how bad this is? Anthony Stewart Head also has some impressive vocals and I have to admit it’s nice to see Giles from “Buffy” find some work, but I have to think a career on Broadway would better suit him. I honestly can’t remember a single song from the production. They are just so dreadful. The choruses feel like punchlines to jokes that Bousman ineptly strung together like a necklace of broken pearls. The relevance of the songs to the story is like bucktoothed, hair-lipped son of “Les Miserables”. I felt bad for each and every person involved with this waste of time. I felt sorry for the audience watching it.
Despite all of this, there seems to be a cult following developing around the picture. They tried midnight screenings with “Showgirls” a few years back and it didn’t work. You can’t become a cult film when that’s what you’re trying to be because that defeats the whole point of being a cult film. Do you think “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” set out to become such a phenomenon and have midnight screenings all across the globe on a weekly basis? No. It just sort of fell into it. “Mommie Dearest” was tackled with all the intensity and earnestness that could be mustered and now we quote lines from that film as if it were the Fabulous Plague. “Repo!” is not a cult film. It’s not a good film. It’s a cinematic abortion. Darren Lynn Bousman and his piss poor production staff should be shot if for no other reason that their decision to dress the Repo Man like the Orkin Man, put chicks in welder masks with red lighting gels and cover virtually every other room in plastic. If this is what the future really looks like, give me “2012". And I won’t even go into the numerous “Blade Runner” rip-offs that are abound. Evidently this show was a stage musical long before it made its way onto cinema screens. Maybe it works better on stage. I can’t imagine this working if you resurrected Jimmy Stewart and cast him as the Repo Man.
So, if you can’t tell – I do not recommend this picture. In fact, I might pay you not to see it. The good thing is that it’s not playing anywhere close to most of you, but you might still want to seek it out on DVD. Don’t! E-Mail me with your mailing address and I will send you $1.00 not to see this film. You can use that dollar however you see fit. Want to purchase that special edition copy of “Ishtar”? You’ve got $1.00 towards it! Want a pack of Goobers before you head into the cineplex! I’ve got $1.00 of that covered! I will do anything it takes to keep you from wasting your time on this monumental, colossal, ridiculous, pathetic and turdolicious piece of cinematic dung. Go ahead and cast your Razzie votes now – “Repo! The Genetic Opera” is the winner. A man and a woman walk into a bar. The bartender says, “What can I get for you?” The woman says, “Whiskey and soda”. The bartender mixes the drink. The man says, “Repo! The Genetic Opera”. The woman throws the drink in the man’s face and the bartender pulls out a shotfun and blasts his brains all over the woman. Some films are lethal. “Repo!” might just kill you.
Alexa Vega (Shilo Thomas)
Anthony Stewart Head (Nathan Thomas)
Paul Sorvino (Rotti Largo)
Sarah Brightman (Blind Mag)
Paris Hilton (Amber Sweet)
Bill Moseley (Luigi Largo)
Nivek Ogre (Pavi Largo)
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
RATED R
17 comments:
U so stupid. Bet U think u're clever, don't u?
This film is brilliant and is the most original movie I ever seen.
Why don't u go back to watching the bomb movie Australia which u seem to like instead of talking bad about something that is new and exciting fresh and new.
Go back to your Hollwood blockbusters and explosions, dumbass.
Repo! Rules!
The fact that you can defend a film like this and 'claim' to love it us appalling. This is what happened:
You got your hopes up about this being a kick ass film. You were telling all your friends about how amazing it was going to be and you made it your temporary obsession. Then it came out and sucked balls. I mean -- major balls. So, instead of owning up to it and admitting it, you now have to defend it to the death, even when you are so very easily in the minority on this film and have to understand how bad it is on every single level.
There are two types of people: those who admit that films are bad and those that don't. I was very excited about a movie that came out earlier this year called "Righteous Kill" -- couldn't wait to see it. I saw it and it sucked. I call it like I see it.
In closing, anyone who wants to defend this film -- I would love to engage you in a film debate and argue the technical merits of this abortion. Toodles.
If you hate Repo, that's fine. I fully understand why some people might not like it; to be honest, there were a lot of things in there that seemed like they were just tossed in out of nowhere and made me go "...what just happened?" Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but opinion is not necessarily fact. Just because you consider Repo an abortion doesn't mean that other people do. What's really appalling is that you're so convinced your opinions are correct that you think we're all deluding ourselves. I admit that Repo's not perfect, but to declare that it unargueably "sucks major balls" is entirely unfair.
In closing, I will not make any attempt to defend REPO; I'm sure doing so would not affect your point of view at all, and even if it did, I don't particularly care to affect your point of view. That's none of my business. But if we say that we enjoy Repo, please accept it as OUR point of view. You do not speak for everyone. Toodles.
No. I will not accept it.
I am sick of this new coward breed response of, "Well, everyone is entitled to their own opinion".
That is such a cowards response. Yes, everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion. But some people also don't have taste enough to deserve one. And anyone who can defend this garbage falls into that category. I don't have to accept your opinion at all. Only a coward would accept your opinion so easily.
You think DLB doesn't have a creative bone in his body? When's the last time you've seen a musical that's about repossessing organs and being addicted to surgery?
You're an idiot.
If you had no desire to see the film in the first place that automatically voids your opinion on it. The fact of the matter is that Repo! isnt going anywhere and has in fact went from a 2 city release to now playing in over 20 and expanding weekly, despite reviews from wannabe "experts" such as yourself lol. You have no background to debate film merit and therefore can only maintain your opinion, and I respect your opinion as just that, not the authority you seem to have disillusioned yourself into thinking it is.
01) First off, The storyline of the film has NOTHING to do with Bousman since he did not write the play, nor the screenplay for the film.
02) My not wanting to see it doesn't void a thing. Ever heard of someone being pleasantly surprised? And the film is playing in 6 theatres -- not 20 -- but 6. And it has tanked at the box office. I saw it in a packed theatre of 11. Expanding weekly? To enjoy a film so much, you have no idea what it's doing or how it's doing? Jesus.
They're Shilo and Nathan Wallace not Thomas.
Get your facts straight, so you don't end up looking like even more of a fool than you already are? Thanks.
Your defending this film makes you look like far more of a fool than my mis-naming someone does me. Because the NAMES are the things that are going to make people remember this film -- in fact, the NAMES alone might be the single most interesting thing about the film.
I can't even begin to think what I could say to you to make you stop and think about how infantile you're acting. To quote another blogger, you're acting like Repo! beat you up and stole your lollipop. Yes, it wasn't the highest quality film out there. But it wasn't trying to be.
And as far as your behavior on the issue goes, it's appalling. I understand that even total assholes like yourself deserve free speech, that's something I have to deal with if I want the right to retort. Personally, I think you bash this film so hard because you actually liked it a little. It's gory, violent,and over-the-top yes, but with an underlying tenderness and spirit that will not be crushed by the scared little boy on his infantile blog. Repo! is bigger than you. Paying people to not see it (which is the stupidest gesture I have ever seen)will not work. If I wasn't an honest person I would have conned 100 dollars out of you, then personally handed it over to Terrance Zdunich and Darren Smith. I would be happy to debate the merits of the film, just name a time and place.
You know, doesn't a true reviewer say what they did and didn't like about a film?? All you did was bash it and in an angry way! It wasn't even a fair review. If opinions don't matter to you and you think that people are not allowed to have one...you are sadly mistaken. This is America its a free country. I can say whatever I want. I can play whatever game I choose. I can watch whatever TV show, movie etc I want. I can listen to any music I want to.
You can't force feed someone else your opinion and say "my opinion is the only one that matters."
Also if you friends DRAGGED you to this film, why couldn't you tell your friends no if you had/have SUCH a HORRIBLE opinion of the movie from the beginning. If you have a mind and opinion of your own, why couldn't you just say "no thanks," and hang up on them?
And people can defend this film if they want to just like you can post your negative review online in this blog.
You probably like things that ALOT of other people don't. Its called CHOICE. Here is an example. Just because you don't like fish, doesn't mean a ton of other people DO like fish. Just because you don't like Britney Spears doesn't mean people won't stop buying her music.
Its a free country, you can bitch all the fuck you want but in the end...WE CHOOSE WHAT WE DO AND DONT LIKE REGARDLESS IF SOMEONE ELSE DOES OR DOES NOT LIKE IT. YOUR OPINION IS NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS.
At least I embrace the fact that hey okay, you didn't like the film, the music wasn't for you. All well, I love it, will continue to love it. Will buy the other soundtrack that is coming out (as in TWO different soundtracks total) as well as the DVD. So will all the rest of the Repo Fans.
Get over yourself, and stop being such an angry little bitch.
Wow. Your morons never cease. Same old dirt poor opinions. Some old lambasting. The film was awful, no two ways about it. Just awful. I'm sorry I didn't give enough specific details about why the film was awful, but it was pretty obvious to me and all eleven people in the audience. Give it a rest.
Granted, it -is- a matter of opinion.
This article is almost nothing more than a 'cleverly' written attack that's probably just to advertise your writing skills. I doubt that any film is so horrible that it scars you and fills you with enough rage as you dramatized it to be. Repo isn't going to be everyone's thing, just the same as there are people who like and dislike other films. To say that not enough people have the taste to deserve an opinion is arrogant and ignorant. With all due respect, you seem to be the most tasteless of the lot. If you can't take criticism, maybe you aren't cut out to give it.
You wanted an intelligent response..ok.
First;
As a matter of fact, "Bat out of hell" is my favorite song of all time, and considering that album is one of the highest selling of all time, that's actually quite a compliment.
Second, I never heard of the movie before I saw the cover on the shelf of BlockBuster, so no pre-opinions on it that you say I'm going back on.
Let me say I understand where you're coming from with your criticism. The first time "Mark it up" was playing on my screen with Bill Mosley, Ogre, and Paris, I also felt what you felt. My first instinct was what the fuck is this shit? While I am enjoying this movie, this scene is quite dreadful. At the end of the viewing I thought that scene shouldn't be in there/I would have done it differently. After around my third viewing, and my growing desire to put the soundtrack on repeat, I decided to put aside my selective judgments, and once I did, I learned that it's not about me and what I think should or shouldn't be in this "film". It's not that type of movie. I now understand, against the reviews I read from many a critic, that the movie isn't trying to be something or something it's not; it's being exactly what it's supposed to be. A combination of different elements; goth, science fiction, gore, opera, rock, beauty, and disgust, twisted into an elegantly delivered monstrosity of an experience. Something so new and so different, that either it's going to too new and different for you, or too new and different to not fall in love with. The absolutely only thing about this film which is anywhere near ordinary and quite expected, are reviews such as yours.
You can't possibly think that at any time during its production, whether it was finalizing the script of the last day of filming, that the creators didn't know that some people were going to absolutely loath it, right? You must know that. While this may seem like a reason to stop moving forward, it's probably the same exact reason while a lot of us love it so much. To take a story that's so demented to begin with, to envelope it's delivery in an operatic format using modern and classical music elements, and wrap it up tightly with some truly talented people giving their all in their performances, offers creativity far beyond your normal Saturday night at the drive in flick.
All in all, there is a magnificent difference between a truly terrible movie, and a visual and audio experience that not all people are going to accept, which I can feel I can "prove".
Using Ghost Rider with Nicholes Cage as an example; now that was a terrible movie.
Looking at the score on IMDB, 80% of its ratings are under a "7". Its movies like that where the high majority of the people all accept it's just a bad movie.
Repo on the other hand has only 38% under a 7, and 49.1% over a 7, and I feel it shows that it is a love it or hate it piece, that not all people will get, or even worse, and I think this is you....will not even try to accept. Considering that even the people who truly love this film also agree you need to have an opened mind to enjoy it, I find it quite unprofessional that you admit you hated it before you even watched it (going in kicking and screaming). You closed your mind, locked it, and went to go see the film with a super negative mindset. I can't imagine that true, professional movie reviewer is supposed to do that.
I'm really not trying to change your opinion on the film; I'm trying to get you to accept mine and at least see that this just is not the normal movie that you go see and decide what you like or dislike in it, or elements of it. It's shaping up to be a piece of art that like most new or different art, not everyone is going to accept, and some people are going to love. Your review doesn't consider that, like someone who already hates heavy metal, bothering to review a metal album. The only music I have not been able to get into salsa, but I don't doubt that a lot of people love it, or creative artists create it.
I'm a 36 year old, successful, senior program analyst with 5 program analyst under me who has no special inclination towards any of the separate elements in this film, except maybe rock and industrial music. I don't watch gore, I'm very selective on the science fiction I can appreciate, I've never been to the opera....yet I'm actually considering being one of the people that gets this played at midnight showings in NYC, and that is just not me. That should tell you that I really do love it. I mean, I really, really, love this film, even the parts that disgust me. I get the feeling your review says I'm something negative for doing so and I don't like that for my unbiased, unfiltered, emotion towards something. I can't help but love it and I have not been able to stop listening to the sound track. Your reviews says that either I'm lying about loving it, don't have the intelligence to know whether I really like it, or lack the mental capacity to know what type of art I'm allowed to appreciate. All that while my heart is so grateful for the people who made this degenerated wonder which is enhancing my life, just as all the things we love will do.
Just because you can write an elegant reasoning as to why you love a film, doesn't mean it's good.
Rep - that was a beautiful response. I too am addicted to this soundtrack. I love the movie for being exactly what it is, and couldn't have summed it up better.
This is not the movie for everyone, but for some of us, it is practically perfect in every way. I am a 42 year old female IT professional so this movie doesn't just appeal to certain people. MoviesMadeEasy seems to think that their opinion is much more than that - just an opinion. It never works to try and tell people what they should like, or imply they must be stupid to enjoy something. Taste is personal, and not enforcable. I would think a reviewer would be more objective, but then again this is a blog not a real movie reviewer and it shows.
I highly disagree about your view of Repo! But I love the way you written this thing, very entertaining and fun to read :D
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