The Toxic Avenger

All of last year, I was certain that this movie wasn't ever going to be released and that was a disappointing notion. When I found out that it was going to be released in theaters unrated, I perked up.

I wouldn't say this was a hugely anticipated movie for me but I was excited. I just saw it a few hours ago and I've gotta say that it's just barely above average. The biggest problem with this movie is that a huge majority of the jokes in this movie fall flat and leave an awkward impression. It also didn't help that the tone and pacing for this movie was an absolute mess as well.

That being said, I was never bored or put off by the film. There's an amazing display of gore (even if it's hugely CGI) and sight gags as well. The whole cast also hams it the hell up which is a big plus.

I didn't hate the new Toxic Avenger but it's definitely nothing special.

C+

I'll keep this review short and to the point. This movie keeps that Troma charm, and even has some throwbacks for Troma fans. It was actually way better than I expected it to be, and if you're a Troma fan wanting to watch a Troma Movie, you won't be upset.

I'm fairly certain that a lot of the lower reviews on here wouldn't last through even 30 minutes of the original, and definitely not any portion of part 4.

I watched The Toxic Avenger (2023) in theaters this evening. The storyline follows a widowed single dad raising his stepson who learns from his doctor that he has only six months to a year to live. Desperate for help, he turns to the owner of his company for treatment but is rejected, setting him on a path of revenge, transformation, and vengeance.

This film is directed by Macon Blair (I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore) and stars Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Kevin Bacon (Friday the 13th), Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings), Taylour Paige (Zola), and Jacob Tremblay (Doctor Sleep).

This movie gave me exactly what I wanted. It has the perfect blend of Hobo with a Shotgun and Class of Nuke 'Em High. I was glad it wasn't a straight remake but instead took the story in a fresh new direction. The characters, setting, and premise pull you right into its universe, delivering that gritty mix of grindhouse, horror, comedy, and sci-fi that you expect from a Toxic Avenger / Troma Entertainment production.

The acting hits the right notes, the storyline has more depth than expected, and the villains are perfectly over the top. The special effects shine with a great mix of practical work and CGI-the opening "arm" sequence, the Miss Meat Dinner scene, every battle with "Killer Nuts," and the climactic showdown gave me everything I was hoping for. I also loved the opening narration, the animation, and of course, the soundtrack.

If I had any complaints, I would have liked more from the transformation scene, and while some of the CGI was excellent, other moments felt uneven. Still, overall this film delivered exactly what I was looking for...and stay for the after credits.

In conclusion, The Toxic Avenger is far better than it has any right to be-a fun, modern reimagining of a cult classic. I'd score it a solid 7.5/10.

After two long years of waiting, The Toxic Avenger has finally splattered its way onto the big screen and believe me, this delay had nothing to do with quality. Much like this summer's The Naked Gun revival, Macon Blair's reboot of the cult classic knows exactly what it is and leans into it unapologetically. The result? A crude, raunchy, blood-soaked horror-comedy that never once apologizes for its absurdity and delivers the splatterfest fans have been craving.

This fifth installment in the franchise-and a reimagining of the 1984 Troma classic-is every bit as outrageous as its predecessors but with a modern twist that blends old-school grindhouse charm with slick, updated filmmaking. There are tits, dicks, off-color jokes, and buckets of gore flying across the screen exactly what you'd expect from a Toxic Avenger movie, and then some. If you grew up on Lloyd Kaufman's wild, politically incorrect originals, you'll feel right at home. If you're new to Tromaville and more accustomed to the squeaky-clean tone of modern superhero flicks, buckle up. This one will either shock you or convert you.

Peter Dinklage absolutely owns the role of Toxie. He brings heart, grit, and just the right amount of tragic hero energy to a character that could have easily slipped into pure parody. His journey taking on the evil BTH corporation, led by Kevin Bacon's vile Bob Garbinger. Bacon, for his part, is clearly having a blast as the sleaziest CEO imaginable, chewing up every scene with cartoonish villainy.

The balance of practical effects and CGI is one of the movie's strongest points. The gore here is gloriously over the top but still tactile enough to keep that Troma DNA alive. Limbs fly, heads explode, and the screen is painted red in set pieces that rival some of the best splatter moments of the past decade. But what makes it work is that, underneath the carnage, there's still a story with heart, a hero who, despite his grotesque transformation, just wants to do the right thing.

The humor is as sharp and unapologetic as ever. Blair doesn't try to sanitize the material to make it "palatable" for modern audiences. Instead, he embraces the outrageousness of the original films and turns it up a notch, creating a film that is self-aware without ever becoming self parody.

The Toxic Avenger is a filthy, funny, and fantastically bloody good time. It's rare for a reboot to honor its source material while carving out its own identity, but Macon Blair and Peter Dinklage pull it off. Whether you're a lifelong fan of Toxie or a newcomer looking for something bold, brash, and completely insane, this one is not to be missed.

I'll start off by saying the first Toxic Avenger back in 1984 is probably in my top 25 - 50 movies to watch easily. It's violent, disgusting, offensive and yet funny. You either love it or hate it. There is absolutely no way it could be made today considering you'll offend people with even the subtlest of things we'd consider insignificant. They should have stopped at the second one where they go to Japan. Let's be honest.

This on the other hand is just a soulless cash grab where the people who possibly bought the rights to make this did the bare minimum to call it Toxic Avenger. Sort of like that first Super Mario movie from the 1990s. Sure there wasn't much plot involved in the original Toxic Avenger movie but they could have expanded upon what shreds of plot there were as this is an insult if it was a reboot. This is so far from the original this is almost a spinoff and without a doubt this is the worst in the series. I thought the 4th one Citizen Toxie was the worst, thinking it wasn't possible to do worse but this somehow set the bar so low not even ants can crawl under it.

I have no idea why anyone even remotely famous signed up for this. We've got Peter Dinklage for some reason, at most they could have used his voice as everyone remembers how golden Toxie's voice was in that one movie. We've got Kevin Bacon in it, which his role could have been done by anyone else just as effectively and Elijah Wood. Who cares. Neither of them have been relevant for like 15-20+ years.

The plot makes sense for why toxie ends up why he did. However, it's just this slog through mud where the only thing going for it is there's some good music in it from bands such as Judas Priest, Savatage and Peter singing Overkill by Motorhead. Lemmy the singer of Motorhead was in a few Tromaville films so it's a nice nod to him. However the step father not getting respect from the boy or the whole medical insurance angles were weak.

The CGI gore didn't suit the movie and if you endure the movie until the end past the credits you get to watch Peter Dinklage.. you know.. make an umm.. you know.. grilled cheese.. which, you know.. is... good. The way Toxie looks just seems wrong as well, perhaps if they took the "Celebrities" out of this there would be more of a budget to make the movie to get that classic tromaville film look instead of this garbage. I've seen my share of tromaville films and some like class of nuke'em high are worth the second watch, they are low budget, gross, offensive and fun but the people who made this didn't understand what made them so good.

0 / 10 - I wish this never came out. I'm glad to see so many crew members as well as their friends and family put up fake reviews, pretending this was a good movie and thumbing down honest reviews.