Movie Review: "Repo Men"

Seen on: March 16, 2010

The players: Director: Miguel Sapochnik, Writers: Garrett Lerner, Eric Garcia, Cast: Jude Law, Forest Whitaker, Alice Braga, Liev Schreiber

Facts of interest: Inspired by Eric Garcia's novel "The Repossession Mambo."

The plot: In a world where people can switch failing organs with expensive mechanical ones, repo men are trained to reclaim the artificial organs if folks can't pay for them any longer.

Our thoughts: “Repo Men” definitely boasts an interesting concept, but I feel it could’ve been explored in a much more original way. Truth be told, Miguel Sapochnik’s sci-fi movie is nothing but a gory spectacle filled with standard chases and ultra-violent battle sequences. While I’m sure many cinemagoers out there appreciate just that, I admit I was looking for a little more brain in this thing.

Set in the near future, “Repo Men” introduces us to a world in which humans don’t have to worry about failing organs anymore. They can just head over to The Union and extend their life by replacing any organ with a mechanical one, and as long as they can make their payments, everything is fine. For most folks though, paying off an expensive artificial organ at an interest rate of 19 percent is simply impossible.

That’s where all the trouble begins. If you can’t pay, The Union sends its repo men to pay you visit and reclaim its property without any considerations for their clients. The repo men just break into your home, catch you by surprise, and start cutting you open without asking any questions. Oh, before I forget, they do offer you to call an ambulance. How nice of them.

Anyway, Jude Law plays Remy, one of The Union’s most skilled repo men. He’s been doing this for a while, and even though his wife doesn’t approve of his bloody job, he’s definitely been making a solid living.  Then one night, he suffers cardiac arrest on a job, and when he wakes up later, he discovers his boss (Liev Schreiber) has replaced his damaged heart with the company’s newest model.

It’s pretty easy to guess where things go from here. Remy quickly falls behind on payments, and instead of going on about his business and make enough money as a repo, he realizes that what he does for a living is just wrong. To make matter worse, he soon discovers that The Union has ordered his old partner Jake (Forest Whitaker) to track him down and reclaim what’s keeping him alive.

At this point, “Repo Men” quickly translates into a brainless action film, and the movie’s obvious advocacy for a better health care system in today’s world quickly vanishes. Okay, it doesn’t completely disappear, but the amount of standard chases and battles sequences overshadow everything else in this thing. Amusing at times? Yes. As original as one may think? Not so much.

So here is the thing. If you’re looking for a film about a guy who spends almost two hours on the run and ends up trying to change a corrupt system, then this movie may satisfy you. “Repo Men” is not a suspenseful thriller, but I admit it’s definitely packed with ridiculous action. I mean, some of these gory moments even made a bunch of people laugh out loud during my screening.

The good thing here is that the film doesn’t take itself all too seriously. Or at least I hope it doesn’t. This one is all boom and bang, and you’ll quickly realize that not much time is spent focusing on characters. Sure, Jude Law’s Remy wrestles his way through an obvious dilemma, but most of that is forgotten once he starts killing the bad guys with saws, hammers and a bunch of other tools.

“Repo Men” also slams viewers with one of these massive twists toward the end, and to be honest, it didn’t work for me at all. In fact, the final 10 minutes of the film basically crush every hope at experiencing a satisfying payoff. The question here is: how much over-the-top turns can you handle, and are you willing to accept everything you see without asking any questions?

Technical credits work fine, and the film boasts a dark look that matches its overall gloomy atmosphere. The acting is decent as well, although Law is given an extensive narration I couldn’t stand. Schreiber is definitely adding some fun to the party as the ruthless head of The Union. Also starring is a talented Alice Braga, who teams up with Law to make a stand and fight for the good of the people.

Freaky quote: "What do you think keeps the world together?" - Forest Whitaker

The final word: Look, “Repo Men” is watchable, but it’s at the same time a forgettable experience. If you don’t like strong gore, I suggest you stay away from this one. The film starts off conveying its messages quite well, but it all quickly loses importance and interest. The action is at times amusing, but it quickly gets repetitive a bit as well. Decent entertainment is guaranteed, but this is by no means a must-see.

Article by Franck Tabouring