Im slightly baffled of the tearing up of this movie by critics upon its theatrical release. Although it's far from perfect, it certainly delivered as an entertaining sci-fi thriller. Perhaps its because the trailer/cover promised "full throttle action" that many were expecting. Or perhaps it's the gory elements that turned many people off. Either way, like a previous reviewer stated, it is a fresh take on the sci-fi genre, with some over the top gore and extreme violence, this is definitely not suited for the younger crowd. It is true that the film offers little explanation of how society has become the way it is and I would have definitely appreciated if a few questions were answered throughout, but the concept was intriguing enough, even if a little too extreme to happen in the very near future, and the twist near the end was pretty neat. Jude Law and Forest Whitaker do a decent job in their roles, and the film flows well throughout, although the middle act does take it down a notch. For those expecting an all out action film may be slightly disappointed. The film only features a handful of these, but when they do arrive they offer intense, unrelenting and gory violence that some may appreciate for a change while others will undoubtedly be turned off by.
I should also mention that Repo Men boasts one of the most impressive soundtracks I've heard in some time, with some old school jazz and blues (particularly a stand out track by Moloko near the end) sprinkled throughout the film. A memorable appearance by John Leguizamo (who is strangely uncredited in the film but that may be because he doesn't make an appearance in the theatrical cut) and an excellent orchestrated corridor fight sequence which lends more than an honorable homage to Oldboy, ensures Repo Men is an enjoyable ride from start to finish and one which will more than surely provide a pleasant surprise to those who aren't expecting it
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The extras are ok but could have been beefed up a little more. Here is a list of them for those who are interested.
- Theatrical and Extended Cut (around 8 mins longer, with extra gore)
- U-Control - offers details on organ specs
- BD Live
- Social Blu - allows you to review the film on facebook/twitter
- Feature Commentary with Director and Writers
- Inside the Visual Effects (6 mins)
- 5 Deleted Scenes (8 mins with optional commentary)
- 7 Union Commercials (3 mins)
Give the movie a go (you may need a strong stomach to begin with) and you will be rewarded!