THE TOXIC AVENGER (2025) review
written by: Macon Blair
produced by: Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Lloyd Kaufman & Michael Herz
directed by: Macon Blair
rated: R (for strong violence and gore, language throughout, sexual references and brief graphic nudity)
runtime: 103 min.
U.S. release date: August 29, 2025
A cult classic doesn’t have to be a good movie. It can be laughably bad and cheesy, yet still a good time. That’s undoubtedly what kind of cult classic the 1984’s “The Toxic Avenger” is. Produced and directed by Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufman, the low-budget superhero horror-comedy became an unexpected success for Troma Entertainment, a production company known for its B-movie schlock. How successful was it?
Well, they produced four sequels, comic books, video games, a Saturday morning cartoon show, a toy line, and even a musical. In 2023, writer/director Macon Blair filmed a reboot, simply titled, “The Toxic Avenger”, which premiered at Fantastic Fest that year. After taking some time to find a distributor due to concerns over the movie’s violent content (which is hilarious, considering the “Terrifier” world we live in), it’s finally getting a theatrical release, proudly touting its “Unrated” status for a new generation of genre viewing.
Blair can add more polish to the endeavor and is clearly having fun with some wild editing and a tone that leans on insanity and overt comedy, with some unexpected pathos. There may be some homage callbacks to the original movie, but overall, this is a different film. So, it’s got that going for it. It also features one-dimensional antagonists, which align more closely with the comic book tone it’s aiming for.
The protagonist here is Winston Gooze (Peter Dinklage), an ill-mannered widower who lives in St. Roma’s Village with his teenage stepson, Wade (Jacob Tremblay), who’s having trouble embracing his passion for performative dance at school. Winston works as a janitor at a nearby BTH chemical plant, which is run by Bob Garbinger (Kevin Bacon), a corrupt businessman and part-time crime boss who shows no concern for the pollution that the locals will be exposed to. That’s not the only threat to St. Troma. There’s also a deranged “monster core” rock group called The Killer Nutz that terrorizes citizens, and they report to Fritz Garbinger (Elijah Wood, who appears to be cosplaying as Riff Raff), the grotesque-looking younger brother of Bob.
Winston is called into his doctor’s office, where he’s informed of test results that show he has a maximum of one year to live due to a concerning brain condition. After battling it out over the phone with his health insurance company (“Agent!”), Winston personally appeals to Bob for help. Instead of support, the poor guy receives cruel insults and dismissive mockery, which tailspins Winston into impulsive action. He dips his mop in toxic goo with the intention of robbing his workplace. This doesn’t go too well for Winston, and the next thing he knows, the poor guy is tossed into a vat of bubbling, toxic chemicals.
Much to his shock and horror, Winston emerges as a green-skinned mutant (voiced by Dinklage and physically performed by Luisa Gurreiro), with regenerative powers churning through his body. Once he realizes what this hideous transformation has given him and that it has empowered his mop, giving it the ability to eviscerate anything it contacts, Winston decides to defend the defenseless against the Killer Nutz and anyone who comes to harm due to Bob’s carelessness. When the local media catches on to his heroic, albeit gruesome, activities, Winston is dubbed The Toxic Avenger. He is joined by local reporter J.J. (Taylour Paige), who has been investigating BTH’s criminal activities and whose boss was murdered by the Killer Nutz, to bring Bob down once and for all.
“The Toxic Avenger” isn’t as crass as the original, and it actually touches some real-world issues while staying committed to the hyperactivity and gore that Troma was known for. Dinklage’s Winston isn’t a pathetic wimp like the protagonist of the 1984 movie was. He’s distraught and overwhelmed, trying his best to stay connected to his stepson any way he can. He knows his attempts aren’t working and he’s coming across as pathetic, but he tries nevertheless. His frustrations with his work’s insurance company (he speaks with a plucky insurance representative voiced by Jane Levy) are amusing because they are sadly relatable and indicative of the American health insurance system (or lack thereof); however, the movie isn’t out to make a provocative statement on the subject.
Throughout “The Toxic Avenger”, Blair and his cohorts maintain a penchant for fun gags and revel in the sheer excess of their bloody fun and crazy mischievousness. It helps that he has a game cast that is committed to the Troma kitsch, especially Bacon and Wood, who are wonderfully ridiculous as the bizarre brothers, both infantile in their own way. Dinklage may only be in the first 30 minutes of the movie, but he sets the character’s pathos tone before Gurreiro handles all the physically demanding work. As Toxie, she’s covered in comical and colorful makeup and prosthetics (there’s a retractable eye running gag), bringing a convincing physicality to the role that could’ve looked dopey.
Only a few sequences pay homage to the original movie, demonstrating that Blair is capable of doing his own thing with the property. I haven’t seen all the other Toxic Avenger movies, so I can’t say if any of them feature an insane scene that showcases one of this Toxie’s new powers, which is the ability to emit corrosive urine. It’s definitely a movie that “goes there”, as Blair delivers a sufficiently disgusting experience for viewers as bodies are ripped apart using a combination of practical effects and CGI. Sure, it’s incredibly violent and, at times, overstays its welcome, but what do you expect?
RATING: ***
