The Toxic Avenger

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.

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 .

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 loved every minute of this. It doesn't waste any time trying to take itself seriously, in the right way. Laughs are thrown in directly neighboring the film's most crucial plot moments, but they don't feel like distractions. The cinematography is stunning. It has the look and feel of a comic book thrown straight into reality. The same for the characters. They're comically exaggerated, exactly as they should be, but delivering stellar performances. I laughed out loud several times. There are some cheesy lines, but almost all feel welcome and natural within the atmosphere created here. I'll probably see it again this month.

Got to experience this in person with a group of people. This is one of those films that you'll regret not seeing with a packed theater opening weekend.

I knew of The Toxic Avenger going into the film, but I had never seen the original 80s version (until after). This movie was made in a way that people unfamiliar with the original film and can still enjoy it, but services the true fans as well.