REPO CHICK
(not rated)
MOVIE: *** (out of 5)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: ** (out of 5)
BY KEVIN CARR
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Maverick director Alex Cox couldn’t get the rights to make a sequel to his cult hit “Repo Men,” so he reimagined his own sequel, “Repo Chick.” This story follows snotty socialite Pixxi De La Chasse (Jaclyn Jonet) as she loses her inheritance and settles in a much-needed job as a repossession agent. Soon, she learns of the legendary antique railroad car that carries a million-dollar bounty, and she goes after a new fortune. However, when she catches up with the train, she learns there’s a lot more behind the story that puts her in danger.
WHAT I LIKED
I’ve never been a huge fan of “Repo Men,” but I have seen it a few times and definitely respect it for the slice of punk rock filmmaking it was. “Repo Chick” is quite a diversion from the original “Repo Men,” but that works in its favor. Rather than retreading the story, this one takes on society at a different angle, skewering contemporary cows (like terrorism, conspiracy theories, out-of-fashion Communism and socialite celebrities).
Cox shot the actors against a green screen for the entire film, which was a bold choice for a low-budget film like this. It’s not as visionary as “Sin City” or “300,” but it’s also not as overblown as films like “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.” The style is made for a direct-to-video digital release, and it actually looks pretty good for its budgetary level.
There’s an energy behind “Repo Chick” that you don’t always get from major studio releases, and this helps balance out the low-budget warts the film carries. It’s not as gritty as “Repo Men,” or as (ironically enough) down-to-earth as its predecessor, but it is kinda fun for a weekend rental.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Many of the problems the film faces – from the uneven acting performances to the sometimes preachy message – are a product of its independent nature. Adorable starlet Jaclyn Jonet carries the film past its low points, and there’s enough recognizable faces so as to not dismiss the film as being made by a bunch of nobodies.
The biggest problem I saw, rather, was with the transfer. The Blu-ray seemed to be jumping frames, yielding a slight stutter in the flow of the picture. This is a shame, considering a lot of these digital environments look pretty impressive, and a technical glitch tarnished them a bit.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
Both the DVD and Blu-ray come with a 27-minute behind-the-scenes feature that covers everything from the film’s origins to the unfortunate production snafus along the way. There’s also a theatrical trailer included on the disc.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
People who like subversive, fiercely independent modern cinema.