There’s a cruel dark comedy to the dystopian thriller Repo Men that recalls the best of the American Studio work of Paul Verhoeven. Jude Law and Forrest Whitaker play lifelong buddies who repossess next-gen replacement organs and body parts when they become a part of the system they help.
Remy (Law) and Jake (Whitaker) are repo men for The Union. Lifelong friends and ex-Military vets, both bring a sort of violent glee to taking the organs and biotech from customers that fall 90 days behind on astronomical payment plans. In a bit of twisted karma, Remy finds himself with a Union-made heart, and the ticker is literally counting until he’s behind on payments. As Remy tries to game the system that’s too smart for anyone to game, Jake must now hunt his best friend down. With the help of a fellow customer in default (Alice Braga), can Remy figure out a way to get his account out of default?
It should surprise no one that Repo Men was not a hit at the box office. A film this smart, this exacting, and relevant is oftentimes too painful for many to watch. Everything about Repo Men is spot on even fifteen years later. Maybe even more so in the intervening years as we’ve come closer and closer to a dystopian society. Corporations bleeding people of every penny they earn. Healthcare costs ballooning. Ads making sure you know you can “have it all” when it could not be further from the truth. Part of any good satire is the twinge of pain through the laughter and understanding of that subject. Something that Repo Men excels at doing.
Screenwriters Eric Garcia and Garrett Lerner (working off of Garcia’s novel The Repossession Mambo) have crafted one of the best dystopian satires since the original Robocop. Like that Paul Verhoeven film, director Miguel Sapochnik used Garcia and Lerner’s blueprint to hide that dystopian satire in the guise of a propulsive action thriller that manages to find time to be both humane and contemplative, with ample amounts of Gallows humor.
Repo Men may not be a sci-fi dystopian classic yet, but it certainly is on its way.
The Transfers
The 4K UHD presented in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) is another flawless transfer for the boutique label. The 35mm widescreen shot film looks glorious on the format in the way that films shot on 35mm can in the late 2000s. The handsome-looking film shot by cinematographer Enrique Chediak is sharp, popping in 4K. There isn’t a scratch or issue throughout the runtime of the film. The Dolby Vision/HDR mastering only enhances those specific aspects of the film, creating a more immersive experience on Home Video. The Dolby Vision/HDR mastering gives depth to the black levels and contrast that just can’t be accomplished with SDR mastering, allowing for a much more detailed, luminous, subtle image. Another winning transfer from Kino Lorber.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC 1 (Theatrical 4KUHD):
Audio Commentary by Director Miguel Sapochnik and Writers Eric Garcia and Garrett Lerner
NEW Audio Commentary by Entertainment Journalists/Authors Bryan Reesman and Max Evry
DISC 2 (Theatrical BLU-RAY):
Audio Commentary by Director Miguel Sapochnik and Writers Eric Garcia and Garrett Lerner
NEW Audio Commentary by Entertainment Journalists/Authors Bryan Reesman and Max Evry
Theatrical Trailer
DISC 3 (Unrated BLU-RAY):
Audio Commentary by Director Michael Sapochnik and Writers Eric Garcia and Garrett Lerner
Deleted Scenes
The Union Commercials
Inside the Visual Effects
The first of two Audio Commentaries is an all-new track by Entertainment Journalists/Authors Bryan Reesman and Max Evry, which opens with their worst jobs and the concept of Schrödinger’s Cat. Some of the details include the soundtrack/needle from various eras and genres of music; the production history – including the original novel, the adaptation/development, the casting, the production design (including the design of the organs and other FX work), the locations in Canada, the production, the long post-production and eventual release; the career and work of actor Forrest Whitaker; the career of multi-hyphenate Rza; the trouble that fandom caused with the release of Repo Men and Repo: The Genetic Opera; the work of novelist and screenwriter Eric Garcia; the career and work of actor Jude Law; the career and work of actor Alice Braga; the action scenes and choreography done by Jeff Imada; a discussion of the various actors that appear in the film; and much more. Both Reesman and Evry include a host of quotes from interviews by the cast and crew, giving context to the production and themes of the film.
The second Audio Commentary is an archival track by Director Miguel Sapochnik and Writers Eric Garcia and Garrett Lerner. The track opens with the trio joking as the title cards open. The commentary is very scene-specific, with the three men discussing the behind-the-scenes, themes, and context in making the film. Some of the details include the reasons why they opened the film the way they did; the various needle drops they chose and why they chose them; a larger discussion of what was cut out of the film and included in the unrated cut of the film; the locations around Canada they used; and much more. Note: This commentary track appears on both the Theatrical and Unrated cuts of the film. They are not different tracks, but there are additions that are added to the Uncut version (which is longer by about 8 minutes).
Deleted Scenes (8:38) – can all be played with or without commentary by Director Miguel Sapochnik and Writers Eric Garcia and Garrett Lerner. Each can also be played individually or all at once using the “Play All” feature.
Extended City Shot (1:13)
Flashback: Poem (1:35)
Flashback: Tank Video Camera (0:31)
Jimmy T-Bone Pink Sheet (0:54)
90 Days (4:24)
The Union Commercials (3:30) – can all be played individually or all at once using the “Play All” feature.
Thanks to the Union (1:01)
Didn’t Have to Happen (0:34)
Super Dry (0:21)
Wife to U (0:24)
Jack Soda Party (0:31)
Jack Soda Toy (0:11)
Mattress (0:26)
Inside the Visual Effects (6:09) – this featurette, hosted by Director Miguel Sapochnik and Writer Eric Garcia, shows the progression of various VFX shots in their stages of completion.
Rounding out the special features are trailers for Repo Men (2:35); Cowboys and Aliens (2:35); Paul (2:34); The Rundown (2:36); Reindeer Games (1:40);
The Final Thought
Repo Men is ripe for rediscovery. Kino Lorber has given the film a packed 4K UHD edition. Highest Possible Recommendations!!
Jude Law and Forrest Whitaker star in the dark sci-fi comedy Repo Men. New on 4K UHD from Kino Lorber.
The Film
There’s a cruel dark comedy to the dystopian thriller Repo Men that recalls the best of the American Studio work of Paul Verhoeven. Jude Law and Forrest Whitaker play lifelong buddies who repossess next-gen replacement organs and body parts when they become a part of the system they help.
Remy (Law) and Jake (Whitaker) are repo men for The Union. Lifelong friends and ex-Military vets, both bring a sort of violent glee to taking the organs and biotech from customers that fall 90 days behind on astronomical payment plans. In a bit of twisted karma, Remy finds himself with a Union-made heart, and the ticker is literally counting until he’s behind on payments. As Remy tries to game the system that’s too smart for anyone to game, Jake must now hunt his best friend down. With the help of a fellow customer in default (Alice Braga), can Remy figure out a way to get his account out of default?
It should surprise no one that Repo Men was not a hit at the box office. A film this smart, this exacting, and relevant is oftentimes too painful for many to watch. Everything about Repo Men is spot on even fifteen years later. Maybe even more so in the intervening years as we’ve come closer and closer to a dystopian society. Corporations bleeding people of every penny they earn. Healthcare costs ballooning. Ads making sure you know you can “have it all” when it could not be further from the truth. Part of any good satire is the twinge of pain through the laughter and understanding of that subject. Something that Repo Men excels at doing.
Screenwriters Eric Garcia and Garrett Lerner (working off of Garcia’s novel The Repossession Mambo) have crafted one of the best dystopian satires since the original Robocop. Like that Paul Verhoeven film, director Miguel Sapochnik used Garcia and Lerner’s blueprint to hide that dystopian satire in the guise of a propulsive action thriller that manages to find time to be both humane and contemplative, with ample amounts of Gallows humor.
Repo Men may not be a sci-fi dystopian classic yet, but it certainly is on its way.
The Transfers
The 4K UHD presented in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) is another flawless transfer for the boutique label. The 35mm widescreen shot film looks glorious on the format in the way that films shot on 35mm can in the late 2000s. The handsome-looking film shot by cinematographer Enrique Chediak is sharp, popping in 4K. There isn’t a scratch or issue throughout the runtime of the film. The Dolby Vision/HDR mastering only enhances those specific aspects of the film, creating a more immersive experience on Home Video. The Dolby Vision/HDR mastering gives depth to the black levels and contrast that just can’t be accomplished with SDR mastering, allowing for a much more detailed, luminous, subtle image. Another winning transfer from Kino Lorber.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC 1 (Theatrical 4KUHD):
DISC 2 (Theatrical BLU-RAY):
DISC 3 (Unrated BLU-RAY):
The first of two Audio Commentaries is an all-new track by Entertainment Journalists/Authors Bryan Reesman and Max Evry, which opens with their worst jobs and the concept of Schrödinger’s Cat. Some of the details include the soundtrack/needle from various eras and genres of music; the production history – including the original novel, the adaptation/development, the casting, the production design (including the design of the organs and other FX work), the locations in Canada, the production, the long post-production and eventual release; the career and work of actor Forrest Whitaker; the career of multi-hyphenate Rza; the trouble that fandom caused with the release of Repo Men and Repo: The Genetic Opera; the work of novelist and screenwriter Eric Garcia; the career and work of actor Jude Law; the career and work of actor Alice Braga; the action scenes and choreography done by Jeff Imada; a discussion of the various actors that appear in the film; and much more. Both Reesman and Evry include a host of quotes from interviews by the cast and crew, giving context to the production and themes of the film.
The second Audio Commentary is an archival track by Director Miguel Sapochnik and Writers Eric Garcia and Garrett Lerner. The track opens with the trio joking as the title cards open. The commentary is very scene-specific, with the three men discussing the behind-the-scenes, themes, and context in making the film. Some of the details include the reasons why they opened the film the way they did; the various needle drops they chose and why they chose them; a larger discussion of what was cut out of the film and included in the unrated cut of the film; the locations around Canada they used; and much more. Note: This commentary track appears on both the Theatrical and Unrated cuts of the film. They are not different tracks, but there are additions that are added to the Uncut version (which is longer by about 8 minutes).
Deleted Scenes (8:38) – can all be played with or without commentary by Director Miguel Sapochnik and Writers Eric Garcia and Garrett Lerner. Each can also be played individually or all at once using the “Play All” feature.
The Union Commercials (3:30) – can all be played individually or all at once using the “Play All” feature.
Inside the Visual Effects (6:09) – this featurette, hosted by Director Miguel Sapochnik and Writer Eric Garcia, shows the progression of various VFX shots in their stages of completion.
Rounding out the special features are trailers for Repo Men (2:35); Cowboys and Aliens (2:35); Paul (2:34); The Rundown (2:36); Reindeer Games (1:40);
The Final Thought
Repo Men is ripe for rediscovery. Kino Lorber has given the film a packed 4K UHD edition. Highest Possible Recommendations!!
Kino Lorber’s 4K UHD Edition of Repo Men is out August 18th.
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