When I heard that Repo! The Genetic Opera was a “rock opera,” I was hoping that it would be something more along the lines of a live-action Savatage CD, which is to say that would contain memorable Broadway-style heavy metal music and an excellent story supported by unique visuals. Sadly, what I got was an hour and a half long serving of mediocrity, especially where the music is concerned.

Musically, Repo! really failed to hold my attention. Despite sporting a fairly solid cast of singers (Sarah Brightman = epic win, Paris Hilton = EPIC FAIL), the material they were given to work with is just plain immemorable. As the main form of dialogue and plot progression, I had hoped that the music would be rich, atmospheric enhancement to the dark and exotic visuals. Instead, I was treated terrible lyrics, weirdly out of place song numbers, and uneven character development. Oh, there were a few standout numbers here and there, but the majority of the songs just failed to spark the imagination.

For example, although I thought Alexa Vega did a fairly decent job overall, there were two song numbers in particular that really annoyed me in which she struts around her room like an angry teenage whore are just so out of sync with the mood of the rest of the movie that it hurts to watch. Equally uncomfortable were the occasional attempts at comic relief using the Largo siblings. Bill Moseley and Ogre’s turn as two siblings squabbling over their dying father’s fortune could have been quite interesting, but the sheer stupidity of their characters and the attempts to use this facet of their characters for comedic effect just made my brain ache.

With that said, I don’t want to create the image that all the performances were bad. I actually enjoyed Terrance Zdunich’s turn as the grave robber/narrator and Anthony Head as the loving father/contract killer. In fact, one of the reasons I rented the film in the first place was to hear Head sing. I’m a huge fan of the Buffy the Vampire Musical and I when I heard he had a starring role in Repo! , I just knew I had to see it. Overall, I must say that Sarah Brightman’s role as Blind Mag was my favorite. Not only did she manage to bring a lustrous glow to what was otherwise rather dull material, but the excellent visual specials effects really helped to enhance her performance.

Visually, Repo! is a sumptuous feast for the eyes. Sporting a mixture of comic book style art and CG generated landscapes, the world of Repo! is infused with a dark grimness that’s very much in tune with its story of a world where corporate sponsored hitmen can legally repossess the organs of those who can’t afford to pay their medical bills. Unafraid to shy away from its violent subject material, film sports numerous gory scenes of people being gutted for their organs by the cold and ruthless Repoman. The angst that the Repoman fills over his work as he desperately tries to balance his duties as a father against the requirements of his job begin to drive him made really help to make him a sympathetic character. This is good, because his relationship with his daughter and his efforts to protect her are the main driving force behind the plot.

Bottom line:
Ultimately, the best things about Repo! A Genetic Opera is it’s visual style and several standout performances by the cast. It’s just too bad that the uneven plotting and lame music kept it from becoming anything but average.

Final Score: 3 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by: LC1