Goth Musical - Repo! The Genetic Opera

There is one advantage to my girlfriend living a block away from my hometown's largest renter of cult and independant movies. There is not a movie I have yet to ask for and they do not have on the shelf. Sometimes it's just a matter of where on the shelves it might be. Such is the case of Repo! The Genetic Opera. Is it in Cult? Horror? Cheesy Musicals? Actually, it turns out it was in the cult/independant section. Never thought this would be in the same place as Lars and the Real Girl.

The story surrounds a seventeen year old girl named Shilo (Alexa Vega of Spy Kids 1, 2, and 3D), who lives in a future time where an organ failure epidemic has wrought havoc on the whole world. However, out of the mayhem rises a medical company called GeneCo, which creates genetically modified organs. Not only that, but they have a payment plan that helps to save lives (I'm guessing health care hasn't changed a whole lot since the present). However, just in case you can't keep up with the payments, GeneCo founder Rotti Largo (Paul Sorvino of Goodfellas and Romeo + Juliet) lobbied for congress to pass a bill legalizing organ reposession. And that's when GeneCo sends out the RepoMan.

Shilo is virtually trapped in her room due to a blood condition. Her father Nathan (Anthony Head of T.V.'s Buffy The Vampire Slayer), who also happens to be a doctor, has been taking care of her ever since her mother passed away during childbirth - Shilo's childbirth. But she has a chance meeting with Rotti Largo who promises to have a cure for her... under one condition. That she - you think I'll tell you? I'm sorry, but I can't spoil the entire movie for you!

Also, almost the entire movie is performed in song. Remember that all musical episode of Buffy? Well, Head shines here, singing away about dark secrets and reminisce of Shilo's mother. And Vega does some real nice punk numbers. Paris Hilton does a decent job too, and has a few misfortunes of her own. Sarah Brightman also performs as Blind Meg, the face and voice of GeneCo.

Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman of Saw II, III, and IV, the film is typically dark outside of Shilo's home, akin to a Tim Burton Film. Inside Shilo's home, the house has a Victorian-era style, and the set colors are almost sepia-like, as if everyone is haunted by the memories the house holds. His direction is brilliant, as far as it goes from a member of the "splat pack" club, and as far as organs go, I would expect nothing less from the companies that brought us such gore movies as Saw (Twisted Pictures) and Cube (Lionsgate).

Of course, this movie won't appeal to everyone. Persons who are squeemish or easily offended might want to sit this one out. And Musically, it really only offers three styles of song: Punk-Alternative, Goth Metal, and Opera (and very little of that as well). But this movie should appeal to the goth-clique and to fans of gore movies. Also, for movie buffs in general, this is one well worth watching. So pop it in, hit "subtitles" and sing along! "Everybody, Everybody, TESTIFY!"