REPO! The Genetic Opera

Timeline- the future. It's been forty years since the end of the disastrous Modonna/Bowie wars and their legacy of designer drugs, plastic surgery, and tacky clothes continues on. Truely it is a dark future; a grim future.

Or at least that's what I was thinking as I uncomfortably went through this film. It's simply awkward and does little to justify opera as a viable genre for film. Not that I'm beyond the cultural aspect or how it fits the theme of the movie. Rather the constant singing made me wish that someone would just say what they meant, much less sing something worthwhile. This is its greatest failing. Its inability to harness the singing talent that they have. And when the film clocks in at a little over an hour and a half - nearly all of it being sung, not having a good song staple is suicide. Though there are a few gems in there shrieking through the chorus. They're just too far in between.

They're quite a few grotesque moments for it's own sake as well. It's to be expected from the producers of the later editions of Saw. And some of it is quite enjoyable and smart but its only rarely so. The same thing can be said of the plot. While it manages to be distinct and mildly clever in a Shakesperean sense, if you've enjoyed many classical works at all, you'll be familiar with the film.

It is worth noting that, not that I've seen many, this has to be the best performance by Paris Hilton that I've ever seen. I thought it was a great impersonator until I looked it up. In 'REPO!' she comes alive as a rather competent performer.

I can't recommend 'REPO!' But if you liked the delightfully cringe inducing musical train wreck of 'Rocky Horror', you'll love 'REPO!'. These films are practically from the same cloth.

...Though 'REPO!' would be an awesome addition to a "bad movie night" line up.