The Toxic Avenger

The film knows exactly what it wants to be: a silly, campy B-movie, and it succeeds at that!

The way it's filmed, the dialogue, and the actors' exaggerated performances are all a clear love letter to the '80s.

It's very bloody, gory, and quite funny at times. It's an entertaining film if you're into this type of movie.

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.

There are few movie characters who embody the role of "underdog" as fully as the Toxic Avenger. A lowly janitor at a chemical facility who is thrown into the slime by his nefarious bosses, he emerges as a mutant with superhuman strength and a glowing mop which is able to corrode human skin on contact.

A remake of the surprise 1984 hit from Troma Studios, this film is nothing if not inspirational. Peter Dinklage is mesmerizing in the title role, particularly in the early scenes before he is transformed into the creature. I can't help thinking that his performance was subdued by the heavy prosthetic make-up he wears in the later scenes. Also outstanding are Kevin Bacon as the scheming boss at the chemical plant and Elijah Wood as his creepy brother - who reminded me of the character of Riff Raff from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

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 .

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.