I’m brand new to The Toxic Avenger franchise and Troma films in general. I wasn’t exactly interested in some of their over-the-top sexual material. But this reboot of The Toxic Avenger pulled me in!

One thing that The Toxic Avenger does, as Jeremy Jahns says in his review, is fully give you the experience that you would expect from watching the trailer. If you are expecting a gory, goofy, over-the-top experience from Toxie’s latest adventure, this is exactly what you’re going to get. Indeed, I gave this newest one a watch and thoroughly enjoyed it. Then, that very same night, I went back and viewed the original for the first time.

Toxie’s first adventure significantly pales in comparison to his newest outing, which is, surprisingly, less offensive in its content. Additionally, with Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood, and Peter Dinklage in major roles, it features heavy acting talent. All of this makes a major difference in the quality of the film and ensures it is a more enjoyable entry.

The Toxic Avenger is Born

For those who are unfamiliar with Toxie, here’s the basic gist: Winston Gooze (Peter Dinklage) is a janitor at BTH, the most corrupt pharmaceutical company since The Umbrella Corporation. Working there over the years has caused irreparable harm to Winston’s brain, leaving him with just a year to live, at most. What doesn’t help matters is that he has a stepson, Wade (Jacob Tremblay), who will be left with no one to help him if he dies. Wade’s opinion of his stepdad couldn’t get much lower. His father doesn’t have the guts to step up for the less fortunate and lacks the skills to connect with his son.

Winston is also in the hole, financially speaking. The one small modicum of hope that he has, receiving help via his insurance plan, is a dead end. Denied help by the CEO, Bob Garbinger (Kevin Bacon), and with nowhere left to turn, Winston plans to rob BTH to pay for his operation. Things turn deadly when he’s dumped into a toxic river, and he’s transformed into a toxin-ridden, invulnerable hero: The Toxic Avenger!

Bring on the Gore

When compared to the original, the opening beats of The Toxic Avenger remake immediately capture your attention and sympathy in a much more relatable and engaging way. The 1984 entry had a stereotypical nerd, Melvin, lured into a prank that turned deadly. Melvin was not a character, just a comical representation of the basest image one could have of a socially awkward geek. Conversely, Winston is a father who is doing his best to relate to his son, though losing the battle. Being turned into a superhero gives Winston the upper hand in gaining the respect of his son, if only he can convince his son that he’s not a monster. Then he can set his sights on getting payback on BTH.

His battle with the BTH flunkies consists of gratuitously over-the-top gore sequences that are so comical in their delivery, I found them hilarious rather than outright offensive. Heads are sliced, arms are ripped off, and body parts explode. The movie is lighthearted and goofy in tone, even though the violence itself is hyper.

Improved Villains

The 1984 film had crimes committed against innocent children, with one run over by a car driven by the film’s main villains. These villains, like Melvin, were barely characters but stereotypes of bulked-up evildoers. Their only function was to look sexy, lift weights, and be killed and/or tortured by The Toxic Avenger.

In the remake, the villains who run BTH all have specific character arcs and personalities. Kevin Bacon’s Bob is a corrupt businessman who is in deep over his head and desperate to succeed. He starts the film fairly confident in his position. Yet, as the public falls for Toxie’s heroics and the mafia that bankrolled him continually breathes down his neck, he progressively loses his confidence till he’s hanging on by a thread. Bacon rides this trajectory well, and I’m glad he chose this role.

Elijah Wood stars as Fritz, Bob’s younger brother. He doesn’t have much of a spine, and Wood embodies his physicality to portray this both literally and figuratively. He’s hunched over and keeps his eyes to the ground, taking abuse from his brother for continually failing to take out Winston.

Rounding out the villains, Julia Davis plays Kissy Sturnevan, a woman who’s desperate to please her man. She worships the ground that Bob walks on, and Davis gives her a comic edge.

Peter Dinklage Brings the Laughs

Peter Dinklage is a hoot as Winston. When he attempts to encourage and relate to Wade by wearing a pink tutu and performing his attempt at a “dance number,” I chuckled out loud. Furthermore, he’s able to play dejected with a comical tone. His transformation into a murderous, killing vigilante is intense, but he’s always driven by a yearning for his son’s love. Dinklage technically only appears in the first section of the film, with Luisa Guerreiro embodying Winston after his physical transformation. Dinklage’s dubbed-in voice matches well with the character’s physicality.

All of the character improvements are accompanied by a significant enhancement in plot. While the original devolved into mostly unconnected vignettes of violence, the remake actually has a well-put-together plot. It also has something worthy of value to say, in a condemnation of company greed and pollution. The bond between Winston and Wade that forms is sweet and is the core of the movie.

Three Cheers for Toxie!

The film isn’t for everyone. There’s crude humor here that’s pretty gross, some nudity, and violence galore. But for those who don’t mind a bit of silliness and satire with their brutality, this is a movie that should supply the laughs, the shocks, and the smiles. It doesn’t necessarily have much depth, but it does have heart, and for that, it earns a recommendation from me.