How does one go about describing Repo Man? Is it a comedy? Is it a science fiction film? Is it a drama about alienated youth? Is it a surreal urban fantasy? The answer is that at various times it manages to be all of the above, plus several other things as well. Repo Man refuses to be pigeon-holed into any specific genre. Its narrative is intentionally scattershot, its characters and situation deliberately eccentric, and for many viewers this might prove too great an obstacle in the path to their enjoyment. However, certain scenes have tremendous visual impact and throughout the movie the dialogue is hilarious and cleverly philosophical.

Punk youth Otto (Emilio Estevez) – whose attitude towards all authority figures is one of disrespect - is fired from a tedious supermarket job after being impudent to the boss. He plans to use some money promised him by his parents to fund a little travelling, but learns that they have given it all away to a TV evangelist. Frustrated, Otto leaves home and whilst wandering the streets is approached by a car repossession agent called Bud (Harry Dean Stanton) who tricks him into driving a repossessed car back to headquarters. Soon after, Otto is offered a job working as a repo man. Initially he doesn't warm to the idea of taking on what he perceives to be an honest, decent, law-abiding job. But he quickly comes to realise that being a repo man basically amounts to being a legally-empowered car thief. The job brings with it more excitement than his punk lifestyle – he uses drugs, he gets into car chases, gets into fights, gets to drive cool cars, and to top it all gets well paid for it. He also gets to hang out with the other repo men – bad ass dudes with fast mouths and tough reputations. Otto soon finds himself caught up in the hunt for a Chevy Malibu, so sought after that its repossession value is a staggering $20,000. Various parties are out to get the vehicle, including Otto's bunch, government agents, UFO cultists and a rival repo company fronted by the Rodriguez brothers. Turns out that the car in question has some radioactive aliens stuffed in its trunk…..

The actual story of Repo Man doesn't hang together in the slightest, nor is it meant to. It starts out more-or-less coherent, but as the film goes on the plot matters (and means) less and less and less. The film evolves into an experience rather than a story – crazy little exchanges of dialogue provide a telling social commentary; outrageously over-the-top events illustrate, in dark and satirical terms, the attitudes of the 1980s youth culture; an exciting punk soundtrack accompanies the on-screen madness. Estevez gives one of his earliest and best performances as Otto, while Stanton as the more experienced repo man is just fantastic. Many viewers will find the film's conclusions too bleak, but for audiences of a certain generation it captures perfectly their frustration with the systems around them. Some viewers will be driven to the exits by the disorientating narrative, while others will simply listen to the dialogue and soundtrack with a knowing smile. Some viewers will groan about violence, foul language and anarchy – which the movie contains in abundance – while others will recognise these things as a sad but real characteristic of the times. Repo Man is a film that you'll either like or hate – a cult classic in the eyes of some, an irredeemable one-star dog in the eyes of others.