Repo! The Genetic Opera signals the start of a new genre: the anti-musical. Oh, sure, there's a boatload of tunes, but by no means were they written with the Mamma Mia! set in mind. This film is Exhibit A for those searching for evidence of life in the musical genre outside of kitschy numbers with conspicuously sunny lyrics. Repo! bathes itself in darkness, relishing every chance to show off just how disgusting it can get. While not an inherently flawless package, it earns bonus points for taking one of history's most often-told tales and combining it with a whopping dose of undeniable originality.

In the not-too-distant future, the world has fallen into complete and utter chaos. Organ failures are now commonplace and wiping out populations by the millions. But out of the tragedy emerges Rotti Largo (Paul Sorvino) and GeneCo, a company that manufactures and leases homegrown organs for the right price. But should anyone be unfortunate enough to fall behind on their payments, along comes the Repo Man (Anthony Stewart Head) to seize back GeneCo's merchandise at a deadly cost. When he's not roaming the streets as a legalized assassin, the Repo Man is the loving and overprotective father of Shilo (Alexa Vega), a 17-year-old beauty with an elusive illness. Little does he realize that thanks to a deep-seated grudge, Largo has his eyes set on spiriting away young Shilo and making her heir to GeneCo, intent on inducting her into his demented brood. However, it's only a matter of time before the Repo Man snaps and embarks on a mission of vengeance to save his child from Largo's designs.

I've read criticisms that Repo! tries too hard to become the next iconic midnight movie, a la Rocky Horror. It existed as a stage show for a few years before making the jump to the big screen, but there have already been reports of audience members showing up to screenings in full costume and singing along to the soundtrack. Fans might be getting zealous a little too early, but who can blame them? Repo! is a beacon of imagination filling viewers with hope for the future of cinema. Although it's not a 100% fantastic feature, I can sleep better at night knowing that some filmmaker not only tried something different but also pulled it off with such good results. In Repo!'s case, that man is Darren Lynn Bousman, who previously took the reins of the second, third, and fourth Saw movies. He not only exploits the film's premise for all its lurid, black-lit goodness, he also enhances it by incorporating an underlying story that's no stranger to theatrical interpretation.

Frankly, I hate opera with a passion. I've enjoyed my fair share of musicals, but I need dialogue to give me a breather from all the tunes. Also, I'm not a fan of actors simply singing their lines in set pieces that don't do much to further the story. Though a few lines are spoken here, the vast majority of Repo! is sung, which should have spoiled it a bit for me, and yet some of the numbers made a toe-tapping impression. Vega's  "Seventeen" is an angsty show-stopper, and "Mark It Up" features Largo's own children battering each other with various body parts. In any case, Bousman does an admirable job of balancing the gruesome violence with a story of warring families, rebellious children, hidden secrets, and other thematic elements tailor-made for an operatic treatment. The cast may be a mixed bag, but those who put forth the effort come across with excellent performances. Head executes a nimble "Jekyll & Hyde" act in grasping the Repo Man's dual personalities, Sarah Brightman shines as an indebted opera star, and Repo! co-creator Terrance Zdunich provides a compelling presence as the story's grave-robbing narrator.

Repo! The Genetic Opera might be a little too queasy and off-putting for some, but then again, it wasn't made for mass consumption. This deranged ditty is a love letter to those whose cinematic preferences lie off the beaten path and who would rather not be able to accurately predict what's going to happen next. Repo! is one of a kind -- and proceeds to make the best of its time in the spotlight.

MY RATING: *** (out of ****)

(Released by Lionsgate and rated "R" for strong, bloody violence and gore, language, some drug and sexual content.)