Repo Chick (2010/Industrial Entertainment Blu-ray + DVD)
Picture: D
Sound: C-/D Extras: C Film: C
Repo Man, Repo: The Genetic Opera, Repo Men, and now Repo
Chick. One might observe that in recent years, the repossession trade has
gotten a little bit crowded. However,
each of these films offers a different take on job... well, mostly, but we
won't get into that here. All you need
to know is that this one is director Alex Cox's latest film, and a semi-sequel
to his original Repo Man, starring Emilio Estevez.
The weird factor gets cranked up a few notches in this one, though, as the
entire movie takes place on a miniature train layout, and features a Paris Hilton-esque
socialite, Pixxi De La Chasse, as its star repo expert. There are some explosives, terrorists, and a
group's plot to spread vegetarianism and eliminate golf courses thrown in for
good measure, and what we are left with is a pretty disappointing film.
Once I got over the bad green screen effect, I settled in and watching the movie
for what it was, but never once did it grab me. The plot, strange as it might be, could have
worked. But, unfortunately, much of the
acting is too wooden, and the completely digital sets too hokey and
distracting, that it all conspires to bring down the whole thing.
It feels as though the film as we see it is was abandoned somewhere along the
line, then just cobbled together and released as if it was a finished product. More sloppy than one might believe without
having seen it, I was expecting far greater from Mr. Cox on this one.
Extras are slim, and feature only a fairly lengthy, but repetitive behind the
scenes featurette, and a trailer for the film.
The image is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, but the picture quality
of the film isn't really helped by the Blu-ray at all and looks worse on the
DVD, if that is possible. Everything is
so cheap looking that your eyes will hurt by the end of it. There is no magic fix for poor lighting and
bad cinematography, and the high definition picture doesn't provide the least
bit of help here. Audio has been
recorded under sub-par conditions, and while not the stuff of nightmares, the
5.0 sound mix does not serve the film well.
I hate to say it, but this is a release you'd do best to forget about entirely.
My excitement upon hearing of this
project has been matched only by the disappointment felt after actually sitting
through it. My advice would be to bury
it's existence as far back in your mind as possible, and keep warm thoughts of
the original with you until all traces of this one have been removed.
- David Milchick
