REPO MEN
(unrated)
MOVIE: **1/2 (out of 5)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: ***1/2 (out of 5)
BY KEVIN CARR
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
In the not-too-distant future, the corporation known as The Union has perfected artificial organs (aka artiforg). With staggering costs to implant, payment plans are set up, but if you don’t keep up on your payments, the Union will send repo men your way to literally cut them from your body. When repo man Remy (Jude Law) finds himself in need of a new heart and gets an artiforg, he ends up on the run with a woman who is a gold mine of past dew artiforgs herself.
WHAT I LIKED
I like a good, grisly sci-fi movie. This is by no means tentpole material, but it’s a nice ride to take you from your life for two hours. The acting is the key in this film, featuring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker slumming it as the repo men. Alice Braga, who is quickly becoming overexposed, is okay in the film but nothing to write home about.
“Repo Men” wasn’t worth full price in the theaters, but it might just be worth a rental just to see what it’s like, and how similar it is (without the pretentious music, of course) to “Repo!: The Genetic Opera.”
Finally, this movie managed to take a script weak in its last act and make it work out. It’s not the best resolution you’ll see, but it ain’t bad, especially for how it’s set up.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
I’ve seen a lot of this dystopian future in science fiction… so much so that it’s become cliche. Hell, it was cliche in the 90s, yet movies like this are continuously made.
Ultimately, “Repo Men” is a B-grade science fiction film with a massive budget and really good actors. It’s trying to make a point about evil corporations and credit vultures, but that somewhat tired (albeit relevant) message gets lost amid the bloody scenes of organ extraction.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
Like other Universal titles, “Repo Men” has some nice special features
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Those who like grisly sci-fi with great actors in a mediocre script.