Review of Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008) by Denise G — 21 Oct 2010

I despise this film! By saying so, I'm not sure how I can retain an open mind since all other critics panned 'Repo! The Genetic Opera' before I first knew about it. And although most people would target Paris Hilton for whatever reasons, I was dreading this before I even saw her introduction. The setup is totally idiotic and there is no drama in any of the musical numbers. The gothic lighting and design are overdone, the acting is weak, and the singing is poor. Forget about Hilton; the movie is bad even without her.

How do I even begin to describe the ludicrous plot? The year is 2057 and humanity is plagued by organ failure. A biotech corporal giant named Geneco provides transplants for consumers, but only with credit. So if payments are not due, their internal organs are, well, reposessed! Paul Sorvino plays Rotti, the Trumpian head of Geneco and Alexa Vega plays the daughter of a Repo insurgeon whose wife was poisoned by Rotti after leaving him for marriage 17 years earlier. Paris Hilton plays Amber Sweet, one of Rotti's three heirs to Geneco. She is addicted to Zydrate, a lethal drug taken from corpses which helps undergo plastic surgery within minutes. I'm not sure which is worse: The movie or the statistics.

'Repo! The Genetic Opera' was based on a play by Darren Smith and Terrance Zdunich, who also appears in the movie as a grave robber. The original production seems to have achieved underground cult status, but the movie takes itself too seriously and director Darren Lynn Bousman apparently doesn't realize when the plausibility is dead after each scene. I especially did not understand what was happening near the end of the movie, and I would defy anyone who tries to make any sense out of that final showdown sequence.

This very review has gotten me into a dilemma. A friend of mine who was a fan of the play suggested I see the film, but after viewing the film's reception she was quick to backfire. It took me more than a year to finally get around to seeing the movie and write this review, but Repo! was already trashed, as well as earning Hilton a Razzie for her participation, before I first learned about the film. I've been accused lots of times for having a closed mind before I see a movie, but how do you like or dislike a movie without going along with professional critics? Is it better to lie about my verdict so I can be different from them, or is it better to agree with them for reacting the same way? As long as they're convenient, I'll see any movie to elude that question. At no cost, I saw 'Repo! The Genetic Opera' willingly, but my fate was already sealed.