HORROR.COM
By. Staci Layne Wilson

Imagine if The Big Lebowski-era Coen Brothers had helmed Blade Runner, and you might have some idea of what to expect from deft director Darren Lynn Bousman's latest blood-romp, Repo! The Genetic Opera.

Repo! The Genetic Opera is a spirited, absorbing, astounding, thought-provoking futuristic and fulsome fable quite unlike anything I've ever seen. My first comparative consideration upon seeing an early screening was: "1984 meets Cemetery Man." Then I thought, "No, it's more Brazil vs. Rocky Horror Picture Show." However, it could be "Gattaca gets withSweeney Todd." Or maybe even "Moulin Rouge melded with Fahrenheit 451." Then again... there's a little Wizard of Oz in there. And some Metropolis.

See what I mean? This outlandish, lavish tale will be impossible to pigeonhole — which, personally, I love; nevertheless, it's movies like this that give marketing people and publicists tics — but what it really has going for it is heart. And hearts.

In the not-too-distant future, it will be fashionable to not only clothe and accessorize yourself with designer brands, but it'll be trés trendy to actually be super-chic from the inside-out. As you pass through the ever-present x-ray machines, everyone will see your Gucci guts, your Halston heart, and your Prada pancreas. But what happens when you can't make your payments? Much like a leased auto that's subject to repossession, so too are these impressive innards!

The action follows mid-21st century fox, Shilo (Alexa Vega, of Spy Kids fame), a genetically-infected teen who takes a taste of freedom in spite of her overprotective father's precautions, and runs with it. Even though Shilo is on a medication monitor and has a holographic GPS on her, her widowed dad (Anthony Head from Buffy The Vampire Slayer) can't be everywhere at once. Nathan is a medical man by day and a covert organ repo-man by night, so his dance card is pretty full.

Did I mention there's dancing? And singing? While Repo! The Genetic Opera is definitely the anti-Sweeney Todd (Bousman plays the genre fun and funky, as opposed to Burton's dour emo vibe), there will be inevitable comparisons between the two films thanks to the glorious grand guignol connection. In one scene, when Nathan is repossessing some poor sap's overdue organs, he gleefully makes a hand-puppet out the corpse while doing some fancy footwork and belting out about his "Thankless Job."

While the emotional core of the story centers on conflicted Nathan and his rebellious child, we are also invited to spend some quality time with Nathan's ne'er do well employer, GeneCo. The faces behind the big biz baddies are another motherless family, the Largos.

Rotti (Paul Sorvino, who treaded similar territory before in Baz Luhmann's Romeo + Juliet) is the pugnacious patriarch, who's just barely able to keep his trio of adult children in check as they run roughshod over the little people. Rotti's sons, Luigi and Pavi (Bill Moseley of Devil's Rejects note, and Nivek Ogre who's in the band Skinny Puppy), go through women like handi-wipes, while Rotti's little princess, Amber (Paris Hilton, of… well, Paris Hilton fame), chases after the local drug-lord, GraveRobber (Terrance Zdunich, who originated the stage play and co-wrote the script along with Darren Smith, who enjoys a frisky cameo in the film).

Amber, who changes her countenance constantly, believes that "Happiness is a Warm Scalpel" and that she can only find joy in the arms of a man her father finds reprehensible. During her never-ending pursuit of painlessness, Amber also rehearses for the Genetic Opera, a huge event and gala sponsored by her high-profile family and scorned by her lowdown lover.

The scary, yet tempting and charismatic, GraveRobber is one of the more intriguing characters in this already heavily-populated ensemble opus. As the main supplier of Zydrate — a fictional fluid extracted from the brains of corpses and said to have extreme opiate effects — GraveRobber knows the city, and its inhabitants, inside and out. He's the compass of the parable, and he brackets the action at the beginning and the end. He's sort of a Greek chorus of one.

There is also some back story fleshed out via comic book like graphical exposition; while it does explain things, it's not germane to the rest of the viewing experience and is unfortunately jolting at times. (Then again, if you can buy the basic premise of this purely peculiar and gory fantasy, you've already got the deed when you walk into the theater.)

There is yet another character of import, Blind Mag (played by Sarah Brightman, the former Mrs. Andrew Lloyd Webber, and a star in her own right). The beautiful, fragile and birdlike soprano has connections to both the Wallace and Largo families, not to mention a major part in the Genetic Opera.

The singing voices are thankfully as eclectic as the movie itself (Sorvino delivers his lines operatically, while Head belts them out rocker-style), but the acting is aces across the board. Bousman's direction is akin to an eight-in-hand stagecoach driver, or a juggler of chainsaws. It really is "sex, drugs, and opera."

Every actor shines, yet blends with the story. Not only is this by far Hilton's best role, she's actually got a grain of gravitas in the end. The entire Largo clan is excellently cast, but it's no mean feat when, in a horror/genre movie like this, we bloodthirsty sorts find ourselves actually rooting for the good guys. Head is an absolute standout, as he shows layers ranging from cavalier and callous, to caring and compassionate. When Blind Mag sings her swan song, even the hardest hearts will budge a bit.

That's not to say Repo! The Genetic Opera isn't indeed wild and crazy and over the top, but all the elements are cleverly contained. As you get swept up in the precarious premise, you may not notice that there's some real filmmaking going on: It's especially evident in an early scene involving Shilo, as she sings about being "Infected" by her genetics. It's emotionally engaging, augmented by gorgeous, smooth camera sweeps and inspired editing that helps each expression resonate. When all the characters converge during a big number called "At The Opera Tonight," the editing talents of Harvey Rosenstock once again arouse awe. Repo! The Genetic Opera not only sounds good, it looks amazing (already master of the clever segue from his stint on the Saw films, Bousman's eye is obviously only becoming more focused).

Speaking of focus, Repo! The Genetic Opera is the rare movie that actually compels you to concentrate, as you listen to the story unfold entirely through lyrics — it's really an opera, and there are only a few spoken words. It is not always an easy movie to watch, and is the kind that actually needs additional viewings in order to fully appreciate all its aspects.

It can't have been an easy story to tell, either — this cinematic alternate reality is the usual territory of quirky, visionary auteurs like Terry Gilliam or Baz Luhrmann — but Bousman's confidence is evident at every turn. It would have been far too tempting to let the inherent kitsch factor devolve into a world-class cheese fest of self-indulgence, but Bousman shows restraint ("restraint" as it applies to the medium) and lets the story and characters speak for themselves.

On March 4 (Happy Birthday to me!) I caught a test screening of REPO! and left the theater a little dizzy – and I’m not talking CLOVERFIELD dizzy. REPO! is a rock ‘em, sock ‘em sensory overload. The human brain simply cannot compute the film immediately, as it took me an entire night to let it all sink in. When I woke up the next morning, I knew exactly where I stood – and that’s fully behind this gutsy project, which should be appreciated on the mere fact that someone got it made.

So what the hell IS REPO!? In the not-so-distant future when an epidemic of organ failures devastates the planet, scientists gear for a massive organ harvest. A biotech giant comes up with easy organ payment plans, but all financed organs are subject to legal default, including repossession at the hands of repo men. Alexa Vega plays Shilo, a 17-year-old girl with a rare blood disease that killed her mother. Her father (Anthony Head) is secretly a repo man who works for Genco and is being blackmailed by it’s owner Rotti Largo (Paul Sorvino). Meanwhile, Rotti is dying and holds the key to many secrets and many lies, all while he's trying to figure out who should take over his thrown. Should it be the insane Luigi (Bill Moseley), the drug-addicted Amber Sweet (Paris Hilton) or the surgery addicted Pavi (Nivek Ogre). All of these twisted tales are wrapped into one giant musical production that is REPO! THE GENTIC OPERA.

Stealing the show were Anthony Head, Bill Moseley, Alexa Vega and most of all, Sarah Brightman. This odd cast of characters gave the film a special flavor that only a Tarantino type film could deliver. Each character was developed so uniquely from their personalities to their backgrounds to their wardrobes. The film looked like a cross between BLADE RUNNER and ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW - and seemed like it could be taking place at any time, any year. The city design was very reminiscent of something you’d see in BLADE RUNNER, as there were floating digital billboards and bricked walls everywhere, while the final scene throws a little ROCKY HORROR flavor in your face by concluding on a stage.

While REPO! comes from the director of SAW II-IV, it must be clear that this is by no means a Jigsaw spin-off. There is no flash cutting and most of the shots are well thought out and incredible smooth. BUT, REPO! does in fact carry some intense violence and a bloody finale that’s not to be missed. You don’t want to miss your payment…

And what’s a review of REPO! without a little talk about the music? The sound design was remarkable (and it should be) and most of the songs were catchy and had me singing them in my head all night. And don’t even get me started on how cool (and random) Joan Jett’s cameo was.

I think what was so remarkable about REPO! was that the first thing I did when I woke up. I thought about how I wanted to stick the movie in my DVD player and watch it right then and there. It really festers with you and infects you, sort of dwelling in your subconscious for hours upon hours. It is a very rare thing when I can sit through an entire movie without squirming, but wanting to watch it more than once NEVER happens (you should see my tiny DVD collection, it’s all ‘80s movies). REPO! is a special treat, a film that should have never been, the bastard child of a studio, something that is so distinct that you can barely begin to compare it to anything else. If you’re a fan of musicals, I GUARANTEE that this will become a cult classic in your collection, for everyone else this is a unique film that – whether it’s good or bad - will give you a new theatrical experience. And that’s something special in this day and age.

SHOCK TILL DROP
By. Burt Wilson

Last night I was invited to an early test screening of "Repo: The Genetic Opera," which was directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, who directed all of the "Saw" sequels to date. All I knew about the film was that it starred Paris Hilton and Paul Sorvino, and that it was a musical. The trailer I saw on You Tube didn’t exactly thrill me much, but hey, free movie. So I was surprised to find I really enjoyed it, though I don't think that will be the universal feeling (the guy next to me walked out after a half hour).

The film's multiple storylines all revolve around Geneco, a company that specializes in organ transplants, which we are told is the new plastic surgery (the film takes place in 2057). The company president is a dying Rotti Largo (Paul Sorvino), and his children, including Paris Hilton and Bill Moseley, are eager to take over once he expires. Meanwhile, a young girl named Shiloh (Alexa Vega) is suffering from a rare blood disease, and her surgeon father ("Buffy's Anthony Stewart Head) is perhaps a bit too overprotective of her. He works as a Repo Man for Geneco, "reclaiming" organs from patients who failed to keep up with their payments, but is having second thoughts about his line of work, especially when his new target is Blind Mag (Sarah Brightman) who was a dear friend of his late wife and also Shiloh's godmother. How all these plot threads come together is part of the fun of the film, so I don't want to say much more.

What I really liked about the movie, besides the fact that it was just so out there and different, was how the songs never really stop. If the characters aren't singing, there are always instrumentals to bridge the vocal numbers. At first it's a bit strange, because I am used to musicals that are more song - talk - song - talk, and not all of the songs are full-fledged numbers (more than a couple are just a few lines), but once the movie's plot picks up steam there is no reason for the music to stop, because it's pretty fast and pausing would only hurt the pace. The energy the film has is unparalleled; if you thought "Moulin Rouge" was a sensory overload – you haven't seen anything yet.

I wasn't familiar with some of the cast members, such as a guy named Ogre (he's from a band called Skinny Puppy – sorry to say I am not familiar with them) as one of Sorvino's sons, but I was still surprised to discover that they were all pretty good singers. Even Bill Moseley carries a tune quite well, and I have to admit, Paris can sing. The cuts I heard from her album sounded like a machine, but you can tell it's really her singing here, and as an actress she fares far better here than in "House of Wax" (her role is also not very large compared to Vega and Head). There might be hope for her yet. The film's co-writer, Terrance Zdunich also has a role as a grave robber/drug dealer, and he's largely in the film to dispel exposition, but he also has one of the film's catchiest numbers. Bousman has cast from all sorts of backgrounds – opera singers (Brightman), rock singers (Ogre), child actors (Vega), theater actors (Head), old school actors (Sorvino) horror stars (Moseley), and...whatever it is Paris Hilton does, and it actually works almost flawlessly. The songs vary from ballads to opera pieces to big rock numbers, so the varied cast fits the bill.

One thing I'm not sure about is the "horror" aspect. While there's a lot of killing and gore (mostly courtesy of Moseley and Head's characters), it's not exactly scary or suspenseful (nor is it supposed to be). But I think Lionsgate will have some trouble marketing it to the people who are expecting "Jigsaw Sings!" or something, because the violence is mostly played for laughs. The closest film I could compare it to would be "Phantom of the Paradise," but even that doesn't do it justice. I don't envy whoever has to figure out the best way to cut a trailer for the film (the current one is basically just one song in its entirety – doesn't really explain what the film is about though). It's hard to even write a review. I wouldn't even know what genre to call it – it's horror, it's a musical, it's a comedy, it's even got some light sci-fi and dramatic stuff.

In short, some movies you just have to experience for yourself, and this is one of them. Put aside any expectations you might have based on the cast or the filmmakers, and just take it in.

FEARNET
By. Joseph Mccabe

Horror musical, sci-fi saga, goth fable…Repo! The Genetic Opera is many things, and yet, in the end, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Director Darren Lynn Bousman’s screen adaptation of the off -Broadway musical—like so many ambitious, uncategorizable films before it—could easily have spun out of control. Consider such movies as Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula or Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element; films that, in the end, amounted to little more than noisy, expensive blurs. But Bousman (who helmed Saws II through IV) keeps the craziness focused, and he’s helped by a terrific score of fifty-seven songs and one of the most eclectic casts in recent memory. His film instead invites comparisons to such grand visions as Blade Runner, Brazil and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Repo!’s near-future world, established in a prologue of snappy comic-book panels (a recurring motif used to explain backstory throughout the film), is one in which human organ failure has become a global pandemic, allowing Geneco, the world’s leading organ supplier, to seize and maintain a tyrannical hold on the populace—a hold enforced by the masked Repo Men, who viciously reclaim Geneco’s property when their clients fail to make timely payments. Geneco’s president is Rotti Largo, and Largo's role, like most of the film’s, is perfectly cast, in this case with veteran actor Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas’ mob boss) turning in a gravelly, understated performance. Largo’s three ineffectual children include the short-tempered Luigi (played by Bill Mosely—here even more *beep* crazy than he was in The Devil’s Rejects), Pavi (Skinny Puppy’s Nivek Ogre)—who wears a clown-like mask of human flesh—and the spoiled Amber Sweet. Amber is played by Paris Hilton, but those who fear that this bit of casting, with America’s premiere celebutante, might be a cheap publicity stunt threatening a bold, left-of-center experiment, needn’t worry: as with her castmates, it’s hard to imagine someone better suited for the role. Even Hilton’s brief singing is unobtrusive (and, truth be told, she is pretty easy on the eyes).

Rotti Largo, however, is less interested in his disappointing children than in seventeen-year old Shilo Wallace (played by the now-grown-up Spy Kid Alexa Vega) and her father Nathan (Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Anthony Head). It turns out that many years ago Largo was in love with Shilo’s mother. But when she rejected him for Nathan, he maneuvered to trap the kindly husband and father, and forced him to become a Repo Man. As Buffy fans are well aware from that series’ musical episode, Head has a tremendous singing voice; and he turns in the film’s best performance, acting through his songs and creating two distinct personas at war with one another.

Vega is almost as good as Shilo; and the triangle she creates with Nathan and Largo gives the film its emotional core. In fact, with her pale face and long black hair, Vega’s the perfect Goth princess, trapped in a fairy tale as dark as any imagined by the Brothers Grimm. But the only fairy godmother she has to speak of is Blind Mag, an opera superstar employed by Largo, and played by Phantom of the Opera’s songbird Sara Brightman. (Mag’s eyes are enhanced biomechanical implants, with a nifty ability that I’ll leave viewers to discover for themselves.) The only prince in sight is the mysterious Grave Robber, who sells a black-market version of a painkiller called Zydrate, which he extracts from dead bodies, to addicts like Amber Sweet. Grave Robber’s played by Terrance Zdunich, who co-wrote the film’s script and songs. It’s Zdunich’s first feature film role, but if the fates are kind it won’t be his last—his Grave Robber belts out some of the film’s best songs, functioning as a macabre narrator, and inviting comparisons to both The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s Richard O’Brien and Cabaret’s Joel Grey.

Repo! could be described as an instant cult classic, but that label downplays its potential appeal. Rock opera fans will love it of course, as will aficionados of horror, fantasy and sci-fi. Anyone, however, with a taste for the bizarre or adventurous, who loves films smart enough to acknowledge their predecessors and brave enough to forge their own paths, won’t mind giving their heart to this opera.

Let me first make a few disclaimers: First, what was shown was an early, unfinished print with unfinished VFX and a temp sound mix. Second, I have been highly anticipating this film based alone, on the fact that OGRE from Skinny Puppy is involved. Lastly, I do know a few of the filmmakers involved – but I believe my opinion is still unbiased (take it for what it’s worth). Just so there is no question of my integrity of this early test screening review… all my cards are now on the table and with that said, this film is one of the most unique movie going experiences I have ever had.

The Plot:

To shortly sum it all up… enter the near future where body enhancements don’t stop at just plastic surgery. Fueled
by a drug called Zytrate, people are re-organizing their internal parts as well to live on and as beautification. The titular Repo Man is there to collect body parts that have gone unpaid for. At the heart of the story is Shilo, a 17 year old girl (Alexa Vega of the Spy Kids films). She has been kept locked up in a house, where she is guarded from the outside world by her father who is secretly THE Repo Man. But like any teenager, she wants out and knows that there is more to life than her room (and her father’s affection). Enter the Largo family who own Genco - the biotech company that fuel the financing program (similar in nature to a standard car loan) - a twisted bunch of weirdo’s that will stop at nothing to remain the most powerful run company in the world.
The Gore (aka The SAW Factor):

The often-gruesome repossession scenes are wonderfully orchestrated to be slightly horrific and completely gross, yet never losing the edge of fun. This is not anything like the torture stuff we have come to expect from Bousman’s past films, but he continues the trend of sparing no one in blood volume. In one particularly kickass moment, two characters end up underneath a cemetery where they land in a pile of hundreds of dead bodies! Blood is flowing left and right - in the first ten minutes alone a woman gets her throat cut, a man is shot in the head, a few people are gutted and at no time does Bousman cut away. But let me be clear, this is NOT a proper horror film. Sure it is extremely graphic, but it’s not scary (and it’s not meant to be). Either way, horror fans will be happy to know that there is plenty of red flowing throughout the film.

The Music:

A musical is never an easy thing to pull off, specifically because everyone has different musical tastes. What’s really cool about REPO! is that it brings a melody of musical genres together that are all based in Rock and Roll. Bousman goes as far as to have Joan Jett make a cameo during a hardcore rock sequence! The music ranges from traditional Broadway style to Opera to Industrial and so forth… and it never lets up. Make no mistake about it, this music will get in your head and have you wanting to cheer and sing along (it has it’s ROCKY moments) - during certain moments in the film you want to get up and applaud for the performances.

On that note, hats off to the folks behind the music and sound design; I cannot wait for this soundtrack to come out so I can rock out to these songs in my car! I have to say that there are about four or five songs that can (easily) be Oscar contenders if The Academy Awards have any taste for something other than the typical Randy Neuman crap that seems to be regularly nominated. You heard me right, REPO! has a very certain chance at being an Oscar nominated film!

The Actors (aka The Paris Factor):

Many people will be turned off at the fact that Paris Hilton has a role. While she may be the focus of TMZ and other craptacular tabloid shows, she seems to put away all of that and just act. She doesn’t remove you from the film, nor does she get the undeserved attention that the media normally pays to her. Here Paris is one piece of an ensemble cast, and she does just fine… actually she is pretty good. When the hype about her involvement wears out, people will be talking about Sarah Brightman, Bill Moseley and Alexa Vega.

Bill Moseley steals every scene he’s in by chewing the scenery and having a blast killing, singing and acting like a complete maniac. Sarah Brightman is about as huge as you could get when it comes to her reputation as a female vocalist. She spreads her wings further by bringing a very cool amount of class and elegance - and she is even Rock and Roll embodied! Alexa Vega is going to be a very big star; she seemed custom made for this roll as she sings with such effortless finesse, and fragile truth that you are drawn into her teen angst, without it looking forced. She is simply the standout performance of the film. And last but not least, I cannot write a review about REPO! without talking a bit about one of my favorite musicians in the world… Ogre. He doesn’t get nearly the screen time that I was hoping for, but what he does with it is super memorable; the fact that he wears other peoples faces through the film, further cements in the mystique behind the man himself even on film. He’s truly amazing.

Overall

REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA is a stunning and original film that will have a long lasting impact on the audience that will, without a doubt, generate a huge cult following. If you are here at Bloody-Disgusting, you are probably just as sick as I am of remakes, sequels and “re-imaginings”… REPO!’s captivating and surreal, showcasing a visual flair that many filmmakers would never dare to attempt. If you want something completely original that delivers juicy, fun, bold and exciting music, and of course loads of blood, REPO! Will rock you silly.

HORROR MOVIE A DAY
By. Brian Collins

NOTE – As this is a test screening, the following review may not 100% reflect the final product. Furthermore, as a lazy man who is often broke, I can’t guarantee that I’ll see the film during its theatrical release and/or update the review to include any changes.

I first became intrigued by Darren Bousman’s Repo: The Genetic Opera a year or so ago, when he mentioned Shock Treatment as a sort of influence. While I’m not a die hard fan of the Rocky Horror“series”, I do quite enjoy both films, and particularly liked how utterly batshit Shock was (I still don’t have a goddamn clue what is going on during large chunks of the film), and how it managed to “outweird” the original film. Well, Repo makes both of them look sane. And I mean that in the goodliest way possible.

The movie is based on a play (which Bousman directed a version of a few years ago, before he entered the world of Jigsaw), but since I haven’t seen it I don’t know how close the film follows it. There is no real “main plot”, but instead a series of interconnecting stories about a group of folks with ties to a futuristic organ donor/replacement company called Geneco. The film’s central character is Shiloh, played by Alexa Vega, aka the chick from Spy Kids (she’s like 20 now, so it’s OK to think she’s hot, right? Hope so.). She is suffering from some blood disorder and kept largely confined to her bedroom by her dad, played by Anthony Head (Giles!). Unknown to her, he works as a Repo Man for Geneco; killing and “taking back” organs from patients who failed to keep up with their payments. Geneco is run by Paul Sorvino, who is dying, and his kids (Paris Hilton, Bill Moseley, and Ogre from the band Skinny Puppy) are fighting one another over who gets to run the company once he passes. Sorvino also holds a grudge against Head, and there’s also an opera singer (who is also Shiloh’s godmother) and a grave robber who is over-medicating the surgery obsessed Hilton. While some plots are justifiably given more screen-time than others, it’s to Bousman’s credit (as well as the screenwriters, Terrance Zdunich and Darren Smith, who also appear in the film) that the film weaves so many different story threads while never once really pausing to let the audience take a breath, yet maintains coherency and a pace that builds and builds at a steady rate.

Also, this isn’t Rocky Horror or Nightmare Before Christmas, where the best musical numbers come in the first half and then the film sort of treads water for a while – here the best numbers come near the end. In fact, the one concern I had with the film was that it took 15 minutes to get to the first song that would make for enjoyable “stand-alone” listening (many of the “songs” are just a verse explaining story details). The opening of the film is a graphic novel style prologue explaining what has happened to the world in the future and how Geneco came to be – I’d rather they had a big number with these plot elements explained in the lyric. But the way the film just builds and builds up more energy as it unfolds is pretty astonishing, so in a way the “slow” feel of the first few scenes makes total sense – think of it as a roller coaster with a 10 foot climb rewarded by a 100 foot drop.

The cast is about as random as one could get (Paris Hilton and Bill Moseley as brother and sister? Giles playing a murderous boogeyman?), but there isn’t a single weak link in the cast. In fact, I must admit that Hilton is QUITE good in her role, both acting and singing (all of the primary characters sing their own songs). I usually can’t stand her in anything, but she won me over here. Moseley also has some great moments as the most violent character in the film, and it’s nice to see Head finally play the “Ripper” he never got a chance to be on Buffy. However, the godmother character, played by Sarah Brightman, doesn’t get to work with the other characters as much, so her scenes have a slight disconnect, and she is sort of MIA (other than TV screens) for the first half of the film – I would have liked to have her given something earlier on that would make her importance to the second half of the film have a bit more resonance.

The movie’s also just damn hilarious. Moseley singing “I’ll shoot you in the face!” to a guy offering him decaf is possibly the best moment in movie musical history. There’s also a rocking number called (I think) “I’m 17!” by Vega, who rocks around her room while two of her stuffed animals headbang along and Joan Jett shows up out of nowhere to provide the guitar riffs – I was laughing my ass off the entire time.

As for the violence/gore, it’s pretty over the top, but also sparsely displayed throughout the film. I would say it’s about as violent asSweeney Todd (but also about 20 min shorter), and it doesn’t stick out as much as it did in Todd, since the over the top slashing and “repossessing” is just as nutty as everything else in the film.
I’m sure that Lionsgate will market the film as “Saw meets Rocky Horror” or something to that effect, but that would be selling it short. While it’s certainly an easy way to describe it, the real hook for me was just the sheer originality and insanity of it all. You know how Sweeney Todd was almost all songs, but would occasionally “stop” and just have dialogue? No such thing here. There were a few songs that I really dug and wanted to applaud after, as is sort of customary for musical films, but the problem was: I couldn’t. My applause would be interrupting the next musical segment. I just hope people give the movie a chance and appreciate, if nothing else, the sheer originality on display. Anyone reading this site knows how many horror movies I endure, so when I see one that never ONCE reminds me of other movies (even the obvious comparisons – Todd, Rocky Horror, etc, only came to mind in generalized thoughts), and is able to totally suck me in and keep me entertained almost nonstop for 90 minutes, I get pretty thankful and happy. Sure, I love my formulaic slashers and action movies about guys taking over some sort of vehicle only to be thwarted by a rogue cop, but I secretly crave for more movies like Repo; where I am almost at a loss as to how I can review it or recommend it to others. It truly does need to be seen to be believed, and I hope you fine folks not only do just that, but enjoy it as well.

What say you?

DREAD CENTRAL
By. Andrew Kash

The term “cult classic” has been used and abused to the point where most of us have stopped caring. Over the years we’ve been bombarded with so many bad midnight movie wannabes, it seemed as though something truly inventive would never come. Well, the wait is over because Repo! The Genetic Opera is the real deal: a fiercely original sideshow freak-out of killer tunes and bloody mayhem unlike anything you’ve ever seen!

Based on the stage play of the same name, Repo! is an industrial rock musical told entirely through song (barely a word is spoken) and set in a neo-Gothic future world of flesh, blood, and leather. But it’s much more than a Goth circus manufactured for the Hot Topic crowd. Underneath the madness is the structure of a timeless opera tale with a full cast of Shakespearean archetypes. In short, Repo! works because its makers actually know a thing or two about opera and concentrate on characters over shock value and incessant weirdness (not that there isn’t plenty of both).

This rather complex tale unfolds through multiple perspectives. After an epidemic of organ failures ravage the planet, the greedy corporation “Geneco” controls the cities by selling transplants. But there’s a catch. Those who miss their payments get their organs repossessed by knife-wielding “Repo Man” Nathan (Head). As the story’s tragic protagonist, Nathan is forced to do the dirty work by greedy Geneco president Rotti Largo (Sorvino) in order to protect his sick daughter, Shilo (Vega). On top of that, Largo is dying, and a power struggle over his empire is being waged by his three demented children (Moseley, Hilton, and Skinny Puppy’s Nivek Ogre). Toss in a mysterious blind diva (Sarah Brightman) and a crazy narcotics-dealing grave robber (co-writer Terrance Zdunich), and you have a recipe for absolute chaos – with poor Shilo at the center of it all.

The set-pieces are wild, and the gore is plentiful, but Repo! wisely grounds the emotion with its bizarre cast of characters. There are certainly a lot to keep track of, but the multiple character threads are perfectly intertwined and helped along by a series of back stories told in the form of animated comic strips. The cast is about as diverse as they come, but each actor – from Sorvino to Moseley – gives a perfect contribution to the film. Above all, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer fans will rejoice the most: Seeing Anthony Stewart Head sing and hack his way back into the spotlight is a real treat, and he utterly dominates this film. Also of note is Alexa Vega (the Spy Kids girl, all grown up and hot), who delivers her big break-out performance. Of course, the addition of Paris Hilton will be the media focal point but for all the wrong reasons. She’s actually quite good here, playing a send-up of herself as Largo’s spoiled, surgery-addicted daughter.

Having cast off the shackles of the Saw sequels, director Darren Lynn Bousman (who also helmed the stage version) has finally come into his own as a filmmaker. No longer working with an established franchise has given him the chance to build his vision from the ground up, and he wisely abandons the music video stylings that plagued his previous films. With no more shaky cams or rapid-fire editing, Bousman’s visuals are sweeping and gorgeous. With stellar production design, Repo’s bleak futuristic world comes to life in stunning detail the likes of Ridley Scott or Terry Gilliam. Recent dystopian films like Southland Tales have had similar ambitions but ultimately drowned in their own excess. Thankfully, Bousman keeps a firm grasp on his universe and explores it all in a coherent fashion.

As with all feature-length musicals, some songs are better than others, but Repo! more than delivers its share of memorable and eclectic tunes. (The soundtrack is a must-buy!) Lovers of industrial/rock/experimental will feel right at home here, while others will have to approach the experience with a more open mind.

Whether or not it’s your cup of tea, Repo! feels 100% uncompromised, and you have to applaud Lionsgate for having the balls to take a chance on it. While it’s certainly original enough to stand on its own, its status as a bizarro opera will place it right up alongside The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Phantom of the Paradise as a cult favorite that will be revisited (and emulated) by an ever-growing legion of fans. You can’t ask for more than that.

4 1/2 out of 5

KILLER REVIEWS.com
By: Tristan Sinns

Power corrupts! The reeking rot of the highest powers to reign in history have shown again and again the dangers of ultimate authority. From mad Caesars to crazed kings; power drenched emperors to megalomaniacal dictators; time has shown and proven that unlimited power brings along the urge to use it to mean fashion. This theme was a particular darling of Shakespeare and can be found in plays such as Macbeth and King Lear; however it can be found since and can be found now, wearing black patent leather, crazed make-up, and singing a mad little tune that might just follow you home from the theater.

Repo! The Genetic Opera is an orgy of corruption; an art deco slaughterhouse of Shakespearean themes, vivid and bizarre characters, and pounds of grisly guts all glistening to the beat of its clever and oft classically styled soundtrack.

Set in a time somewhere in the future and on the flip side of reality, the great masses suffer an extraordinary and extensive epidemic of organ failure. Around the same time arises the company Geneco, a powerful biotech organization that is willing and able to provide organ transfers for a price. The masses become so dependent upon the organization that Geneco wins the right to repossess any organs where the patient defaults on payment; a process which almost invariably ends in a rather gruesome death for the debtor. This life debt creates an environment where the ruler of Geneco is the veritable ruler of the world; his scheming and evil children the heirs.

Shilo Wallace (Vega) has led a preserved life thus far, raised by her loving father and kept secluded from the public due to a rare and disabling blood disease. Little does she know her father, Nathan Wallace (Head), hasn't told her everything and has some rather dark and bloody secrets to hide. Inexorably she becomes pulled into the twisted world of the Geneco monarchy, becoming exposed to its two malignant princes and vile princess, and put under the cruel thumb of Geneco lord Rotti Largo (Sorvino).

The first striking thing about this film is its powerful and stylized look. It's a blend of old art deco, twisted gothic fashions, and dark science fiction fantasy. Anyone who played last year's Bioshock should be able to picture something similar; a strange world that mixes the styles of the past with those of the future and fills it with gibbering freaks of surgery and addiction. Given its gothic leanings, one might be tempted to compare it to something that Tim Burton might do, but it is not. The world of Geneco is a harsh world, cruel and cold, and chills without the endearing cuteness that seems to permeate the worlds dreamed by Burton. Some of the scenes hit the extreme, such as in the first act when Shilo and her rogue acquaintance Graverobber (Zdunich, also the co-writer of the film, along with director Darren Bousman) stumble upon great piles of thousands of nude rotting human bodies. It's a striking and harsh vision not unlike something straight out of an old Bosch painting of hell and its broken hordes.

The music behind the film is classic and catchy. There are only a few lines in the film that are spoken without being sung, and many times the music feels truly classically operatic. Other times the tunes break free into catchy rhythms or raucous and modern ballads that'll shake the roof. There are a few peak moments that are strikingly beautiful, such as nearly every time when Blind Mag (Brightman), Shilo's estranged godmother, throws her vocals into the mix.

The plot behind this story is rich, imaginative, and complex. Much of the necessary exposition is handled in several comic panel vignettes that break up the film into its various acts. This device is clever and effective; it's a delicate thing to provide necessary back story to the viewer without appearing ham-fisted and obvious. The panels themselves are as stylized as the rest of the film, looking like some dark old pulp comic such as the classic Tales from the Crypt.

The characters of the film are fully realized and wild. Each of the three children of Geneco overlord Rotti Largo is cast to fit a different warped ideal. Luigi (Mosely) is a tornado of rage, Pavi (Ogre) so treacherous that he won't even wear his own face, and Amber Sweet (Hilton) so filled with vanity that she is ultimately, even comically, self-destructive in her pursuit of exotic body altering surgeries. All three of these characters are perfectly cast and completely memorable. Mosely appears to be channeling R. Lee Ermey in his face-contorting temper tantrums; Ogre makes himself a perfect sinister sniveler hiding behind the skins of others; and Hilton should deservedly redeem herself with many horror fans in a role that is arguably a lampooning self-commentary, and one done well.

The themes behind Repo are classic, and contain an important message regarding the corrupting influence of power. It's hard not to compare the film to something like King Lear (and so transitively, to Kurosawa's Ran). Both films have their three children lusting after the power of their ailing father, and both have their jester, here in the form of the enigmatic Graverobber. This similarity is unintentional by Repo's creators, but it just goes to show the classic and timeless note that they have struck with their bold, bloody, and memorable film. Go see this movie.

FEARZONE.com
By: Mars

SCOOP! Exclusive Music Review: REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA - Advance Soundtrack CD

"REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA" Advance Soundtrack CD
Darren Smith & Terrance Zdunich

"It is 2056. Organ failure is rampant, and the company responsible for the transplants isn't acting out of altruism. If someone misses a payment, Repo Men come to reclaim what belongs to the company."

So reads the synopsis for Lions Gate's upcoming film "REPO! The Genetic Opera", the Rocky Horror-meets-Blade Runner musical directed by Darren Bousman ("Saw" franchise), starring Alexa Vega (Spy Kids), Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas), Anthony Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Ogre (lead singer of Skinny Puppy), Bill Mosely (The Devil's Rejects) and vocalist Sarah Brightman (Phantom Of The Opera).

The transition from stage to screen has proved a perilous journey for more than a few productions, with musicals tending to fare the worst of the lot. Usually the most noticeable casualty is the music itself, second only to key roles being re-cast, and story elements reworked to accommodate the new medium. The end results can be hits (the brilliant "Hedwig and the Angry Inch") or misses (the lackluster "Phantom Of The Opera") While I don't claim to know anything about the stage version of "Repo! The Genetic Opera", I can say that given the strength of the upcoming film score; this creepy,quirky,violent and decidedly black-toned musical has a strong head start towards landing in the "hits" category.

Using contemporary music elements in musical theatre and especially in musical films, is a potential disaster waiting to happen. Given the fickle nature of the public's taste, it is very likely that instead of a timeless "Grease", or "Hairspray" the end result is more apt to be a very dated "Shock Treatment", "The Wiz" or "Phantom Of The Paradise"; aka: really cool, but painfully time stamped with the decade of it's creation.

It seems that the duo of Darren Smith and Terrance Zdunich (screenwriters/composers) were well aware of this, and have taken great care to insure their efforts may stand the test of time with a little more grace.
This "futuristic" sound is, in fact, kind of retro to the discerning ear. As all of it is safely rooted in the industrial that was cutting edge circa 1994 or so. Some of it sounds like J.G. Thirwell's Foetus Interuptus album "Thaw" (circa 1988-89), in terms of the string elements mixed with acidic rhythms. Acts like Foetus, Skinny Puppy, Ministry, and Nine Inch Nails were doing this way back then, and paved the way for the incorporation of these production techniques that have been subsequently absorbed by more mainstream artists. What this means is that the distorted drum loops, low-fi filters, sequenced guitars and layered samples of "Repo!" are actually pretty easy on the ear in 2008, after having been thoroughly processed thru the collective ear, via radio friendly acts like Garbage, Evanesence, Rob Zombie, and even Madonna. Simply put; if you've had your head in the sand musically for the last decade and a half; this is gonna come across as very edgy, and I think that was the intent of the composers. Edgy, but familiar; so that the potential for acceptance is still there. Thematically, this opera is dark enough without having to fight it's way up two fronts at the same time.

All the production finesse in the world isn't gonna save a crappy song, and again the composers have paid close attention to ensuring this music is first and foremost, good. The score has been crafted with a sensibility that makes it all work together very well, and the attention to detail is remarkable. These tracks slither thru melodic and dark passages; riding upon wicked lyrics, until firmly taking up root in the brain. To say this stuff is catchy is an understatement. I defy you not to come away humming this music. As tempted as I am to give a song-by-song synopsis, I'll just turn the focus on some highlights.

Opening with "Zydrate Anatomy" (a dead ringer for the opening riff to Rob Zombie's "Living Dead Girl"), the soundtrack is off to a visceral, up-tempo start. This track incorporates a great deal of the wonderful and weird that is to follow.

"Thankless Job" is a well crafted slice of Tom Waits- infused melancholia featuring a "Mystery" vocalist growling away maniacally over a jazzy-dirge of tinker-toy rhythms.

"Night Surgeon" is just evil enough in it's flath -fith execution (the Devil's interval of medieval infamy...think the main riff of "Black Sabbath"), to make it's point while still being damn catchy.

"Worthy Heirs" ...picture the score to "The City Of Lost Children" as fed thru a Skinny Puppy album. Accordian,choir elements, and noise all colliding in a pretty enchanting way.

"Seventeen", with it's teeth -grindingly sweet happypunk is painful. And I'll bet that is the point. It's perfectly packaged angst ala Avril Lavigne (even down to the "My Fender Twin is on fire" craptastic guitar tone) meaning that these guys haven't missed a beat. The attention to detail is wonderful. In the future, teens will still listen to crap.

Apparently all the vocals are performed by the film's cast themselves, and the performances run the gamut from pristine (Sara Brightman) to awkward, yet perfectly appropriate to the character (Orge). Brightman does lend the whole production an air of "Legitimacy" that will be able to serve as a preemptive strike against the many "Purists" that will rally against this as something of a Pop-opera abortion. And in truth it is; but I don't think that is a bad thing.
There are moments of genuine tragic beauty, sullen harmonies, and ethereal textures that set this musical apart from other pop-opera cliches. In a few instances I found myself wishing that they had elected not to put lo-fi processed piano, or casio-tone keyboard in the background, and had just let the music sing on it's own voice , free of the trappings of the "Tech" vibe. This is especially true of the instrumental underscore pieces, but in all fairness to the artists, they do have a story to tell, and so the continuity of the audio palette must be maintained

"Legal Assasin" is a fine example of leaving the aforementioned trappings behind, and it comes close to perfection just being a straight forward crunch number, with the pre-requisite soft/acoustic elements here and there. The only problem I have with it is the vocalist's similarity to "Counting Crows"singer Adam Duritz (never a good thing), but that is a personal bias that I don't expect others will share.

"Depraved Heart Murder At Sanitarium Square" being another fine spooky-fest that gets a bit bogged down under the decidedly low-fi trappings, but the music itself is very good. Even if the textures seem to be trying a bit too hard.
During the albums instrumental moments, there are perhaps more chances taken than during the vocal interludes. A consistent emphasis on narrative storytelling is front and center throughout the cd, and tends to keep the stranger musical embellishments at bay; making room for the story to unfold...I t's hard, and I mean hard NOT to like this stuff.

The copy I have as an advance that was burned for me by the co-composer himself, and is unmastered, but the production quality is still readily apparent. For all the bravado of "Most origifatigue nal music" that may become the film's marketing line, the tones here are all quite wisely refined to work well together, and don't the ear at all. Don't be afraid, this is not John Zorn or Zhia Ghiva here (do a Google search), which is wise.

Too much genuine pushing of the envelope wouldn't be doing this musical any favors. The influence of co-producer Yoshiki is most likely at work here; as his stint with one of Japan's more pop-oriented visual kei acts ("X Japan") has served to give this score a polish and marketability that is well within the parameters of most folks ears.

I hope this film will catch on with an audience outside of trend-hopping scenesters who are bored with "Avenue Q", and goth-wankers who will embrace it as a darker alternative to"Sweeney Todd". This music deserves a wider audience, as it is a top quality effort by all concerned.
4 out of 5
MARS