The Toxic Avenger

This is a BONKERS, BONKERS movie, and its got the funniest line of year, possibly the decade....

Peter Dinklage stars in this remake / reboot of the 80s 'classic' the Toxic Avenger

Dinklage plays Waylon Gooze, a single step parent trying to do his best realising his teenage stepson while working as a janitor at Kevin Bacons Toxic Waste plant.

Meanwhile Taylour Paige plays JJ, a reporter / investigator trying to blew the whistle on corporate bad guy Kevin Bacon and his nefarious company and toxic waste dumping shenanigans (theres also a sub plot involving Kavin BAcons character owing money to the mob)

Waylon sees some stuff he shouldn't, he ends up falling / being pushed in a vat of toxic waste and he becomes, the TOXIC AVENGER.

Opens with a fun tongue in cheek smash cut montage with voice over from Peter DInklage, that goes some way to set the tone for the type of movie we're in for

Elijah Wood as Bacon's right hand man / brother is kind of a mix between The Penguin and his version of Gollum.

When he's on screen its great, but it feels like he's underused in this movie

Bacon is the one who steals the show, It felt like he was the only one who 100% got the tone of the movie.

Dinklage isn't bad, far from it, but it did kinda feel like he was acting in a different movie that everyone else at times, felt that way with Jacob Tremblay & Tsylour Paige.

The Killer NUTZ (the gang of thugs who also happen to be a band) who carry out the dirty work for BAcon / Wood, look like they wandered off the set of a Purge movie onto the Toxic Avenger set.....

Tone wise, for the most part it confidently has in tingue in its cheek, but at times that tone seems to falter a nit and some elements feel like they're from a different movie.

Once the first act is done and dusted, its feels like the movie settles in to itself and is comfortable in its own skin, and then we as the audience settle in and enjoy the ride.

And it is a BONKER ride. Its also bloody HILARIOUS at times. There's more than one laugh out loud moment, and, one moment in particual is the funniest thing I've seen in the cinema this year (let me know in the comments which bit you think I'm talking about

Its ultra violent (the word UNCUT was literally in the title card)

There's location text on screen like 'yonder spooky woods' and things like that, wo yeah, very much tongue in cheek and fun in that sense

I don't have the affinity to the original that many people do, I've seen the original but It wasn't a staple of my childhood or anything so I've not overwhelming connection to it,

So I'm ok with the story changes, with the fact they've rebooted and remade it.

Its not Dinklage in the Toxie suit, its Luisa Guerreiro. While she does a great job with the physicality of the role, the reality is all of Dinklage's lines were dubbed in after the fact, and it shows on more than one occasion, when that happens, it takes you out of the movie a little. It does feel like theres a disconnect between the physical role and the voice.

I saw it at 9am at a press screening at the Edinburgh Film Festival, so not quite the time or the crowd to fully embrace it. Speaking of embracing it,,,, why don't you go ahead and ... ahem... EMBRACE that SUBSCRIBE button.....THANK YOU

It was then shown to the public at midnight as part of the 'Midnight Madness' line up, I image the atmosphere at that screening was a little more.... lively.

-- On that not, my good friend Cinephile Mike was at both the 9am press screening AND the midnight madness screening, so I'm gonna pass you over to him for a brief moment as he tells what that was like, take it away Mike --

6/10 for the Toxic Avenger, totally bonkers, ultra violent at times, very much tongue in cheek if a little unsure of itself tonally at times.

There IS an end credits scene so be sure toi stick around for that, and If you wanna see my thoughts on other films from the Edinburgh film festival, you can click here.

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.

A remake that neither replicates nor ignores the original. Plenty of knowing jokes (New Chem High School, the St Roma's Village location, with both esses faded) and an opening animation that will feel familiar.

Peter Dinklage and Kevin Bacon having the time of their lives; Jacob Tremblay and Taylor Paige a solid rhythm section; but Elijah Wood in a sadly derivative role (Penguin / Minions bad guy). A band of musician assassins - think Insane Clown Posse / Slipknot - provide slapstick, and a subplot involving the primary villain being in hock to worse villains was entertaining.

No real attempt at moral nuance or intellectual rigour - I loved the doctor explaining the technical stuff - but great fun and well worth the time and ticket money.

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.