A Review of "Repo Men"

Confessions of a Film Junkie: A Review of "Repo Men"
By: Lindsay Holcomb


         What is the difference between inspired by and a rip off?I have been a fan of Repo The Genetic Opera for two, nearing three years. I love this little horror film that could. It started from humble beginnings, growing it’s fanbase for years until it grew to a film that got fucked by it’s producers to a limited release...that is still selling out in theaters three years later.Now, due to the fact that I like having an informed opinion before I start really hating a movie, and the fact that Jude Law is a pretty good actor, I rented Repo Men from Itunes, not liking the fact that I had to pay for the damn thing, but what can you do with a limited amount of internet?I’m watching it right now actually. Now, don’t let that attest to the fact that the new Repo film is boring or sucks that bad, let it attest to the fact that I can multitask. I have heard many things about this movie, and read a lot of comments attesting to the fact that The Opera (as in my opinion it should now be called, calling it Repo is similar to me wearing a vampire shirt now, people will ask “Twilight?” as people may think “Jude Law?” with Repo now) came first and that Repo Men ripped it off.I agree that there are similarities, but it is in my opinion that they are two separate movies. So in that effect, I reviewed The Opera when I saw it and now here I am reviewing it’s twin brother.I call it that because that is what it is. Twins can be very different from each other in style, mind, and body. They are two different people despite their similarities.And here we...............go.

          Repo Men is set in the future in a world where a coorporation has made it possible for people to buy manufacture organs, made out of metal and machines. People can purchase these organs for a heafty price, but can go under a monthly payment plan. Of course, if you go 96 days delinquent a Repo Man comes to repossess the ‘stolen property.’ Remy (whose name I do not recall ever hearing in the film!) is one of the vest repo men in the buisness along with his friend played by Forrest Whitacker (once again, do not recall hearing the name). They have been best friends since elementary school when Whitacker’s character tried to bully Remy and Remy fought back with fervor. They were in the army together and became repo together and they love every minute of it. They are good and they do every job.Remy, though, has a wife who wants him to stop working late nights and go into sales. He puts off the talk with his boss and eventually his wife gets fed up and leaves with their son Peter. He decides to go into sales, but before he can tell his boss (who by the way is played by Liev Shrieber) He decides to do one last job. He gets hurt when a defibulator glitches and he needs a new heart. Now to keep it he needs to keep working on repos. But Remy proves he is human by not being able to take anothers organs when this may happen to him in just a few months. He tries to get money any way he can, but he goes into debt and the repo men come after him. He meets a woman who has at least 10 overdue organs inside of her and they go on the run together.

         I quite enjoyed Repo Men. It was like a non musical version of The Opera. I am NOT saying that one is better than the other. What I am saying is that it is very clear that there are similarities between the two, but I can’t be mad at Universal for taking the idea, or Lionsgate for not taking legal action. I see similarities, yes, but I also see enough differences to stick by my first comparison. These two movies are twin brothers, similar in look, but different in many other ways. If you want to appreciate one, perhaps you should get to know them both.That is my recommendation. Watch both. Get an informed opinion and please watch Repo Men with and open mind, not just looking for the similarities. It is a good movie, made me laugh and the action was good (EPIC fight scenes!), not to mention that there are a lot of talented actors that make it work!See both I would love to debate with anyone for fun, but do not hate something without seeing it. That’s just for the people with small brains.But then again their the ones in the tanks!

LH

That Chick in the Coat