The Toxic Avenger

When this was announced I was intrigued and when I found out Macon Blair was directing, I was fully on board. I expected something putrid and heinous with a ton of violence. Now that this is finally here after almost 3 years of delays, I can say the brutality is there in heavy doses, but the comedy aspect that they went for is absolutely pathetic . Now I'm not saying the originals weren't zany and mightily cheesy. It's just for the time that is why they worked. This time around it's like they took gen z humor and threw it at a Gen x property and it just doesn't work. It's cringeworthy in the worst way. At times the extremism of it even goes into territory that gets bordeline creepy.

Another huge and glaring aspect is the casting of Peter Dinklage for Toxie . It just doesn't work flat out . I'm really not sure what they were thinking with that . It's also even more flabbergasting they don't even use him in the actual practical suit/mask . He's simply the voice over with a stunt double . Some of the other casting decisions were off as well with even some of the notables. I will say at times the visuals were kind of cool but that was about it . This film didn't need to happen if this was the effort they were gonna throw at it .

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.

This is not a bad movie but pales in comparison to the original. I cant stand the fake cgi gore it looks so wrong but the Toxic suit is pretty cool. The movie is a slow start introducing the world and characters but takes off after about 40min in. Some great missed opportunitys with the villains and the end boss leaves much to be desired.

The Toxic Avenger is a suitably gory and surprisingly funny low budget throwback to B-movies that's greatest strength comes from how consistently those jokes land. It updates the titular character for modern times effectively and is always moving quickly enough to remain a fun watch. The bad taste sensibilities are more than accounted for and it also has the required heart to be emotionally investing as well.

Peter Dinklage gets things off to a strong start thanks to his heartfelt performance as a downbeat guy who just wants to be a good dad. Once he hands over the physical work to Luisa Guerreiro, they work well together so it still feels like one character. Kevin Bacon is the fun kind of pathetic villain and Elijah Wood similarly gets some laughs out of his eccentric character. Taylour Paige does the narrative heavy lifting as well as delivering solid jokes.

Macon Blair's direction has a clear affection for this genre and when the smaller budget becomes visible it only adds to the charm. All the gore is fittingly bloody and gleefully over the top but it would've benefited from looking more practical overall. The occasionally snappy editing by Brett W. Bachman and James Thomas prevents the film from getting bogged down by the most common narrative tropes when they appear.