Core to the Troma B-movie brand, 1984’s The Toxic Avenger was a sludgy, sloppy, extreme exploitation flick that became a cult favorite, launching sequels, spinoffs, and more, launching a long-running franchise. Chances are if you’ve heard of Troma at all, Toxie is the reason why. But that film, a slapped-together DIY effort from director Lloyd Kaufman, at least had the energy of outsiders looking to make a statement with as few resources as possible. This new version, a more polished but no less splattery reboot, just seems to be going through the motions. Those who already love Toxie and his goopy crime-fighting ways will probably love it, but the uninitiated will understand why it’s taken more than two years for the film to finally be released.
Part of the problem is there are too many big names in Macon Blair’s The Toxic Avenger. That might sound like an odd gripe, but what a misuse to have the great Peter Dinklage in the lead role of Winston Gooze, a hapless, sad sack janitor for a toxic biochemical plant, and then give him little to do since it’s Luisa Guerreiro buried in the sickly green suit. Gooze’s neurodivergent stepson Wade is played by talented actor Jacob Tremblay, and he gets a funny dance number over the closing credits but not much else. When Winston, a widower, is diagnosed with a terminal disease, he begs his corrupt boss Bob Garbinger, played by Kevin Bacon, for a loan to pay for treatment. Instead, Winston finds himself attacked by costumed goons straight out of The Warriors, and dumped into a vat of toxic goop. While he’s cured of the disease, he’s also transformed into a slimy, pint-sized vigilante striking back against a dishonest system rigged against the little guy.
Blair’s update manages to capture our collective outrage at the horrific healthcare system that makes treatment a nightmare, and the shady CEOs who get wealthy by keeping us sick. When The Toxic Avenger leans into that righteous anger it’s actually quite effective because who hasn’t felt like Winston at some point in their lives? Who hasn’t wanted to fight back, or wish there was someone out there to fight for us? But as the film sets that aside to ramp up the dismemberment, decapitations, and dismbowelments, it just feels like “been there, done that.”
Subplots don’t get much attention, either. Taylour Paige stars as JJ, a journalist who becomes a sidekick to Toxie as she attempts to expose Garbinger to the public. The ubiquitous Sarah Niles, of Ted Lasso, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and many other recent projects, doesn’t do much as shady mayor Togar, and Elijah Wood’s best contribution as Garbinger’s younger brother Fritz is that he looks like he got makeup tips from Danny DeVito’s Penguin.
As the finale explodes into mutant-on-mutant violence, you can appreciate the goofy fun everyone is having as they try to recapture the old Troma magic. But The Toxic Avenger is a movie only made for those who are already in the cult, so to speak, and for others it will just be a waste.
The Toxic Avenger opens in theaters on August 29th.
