Superman director James Gunn got his start at Troma Entertainment, a small, independent production company that specializes in the absurd and the grotesque. The pillar of this small company has long been The Toxic Avenger and its sequels. The 1984 cult classic was released at a time that allowed it to benefit from the strange trend of adult content being marketed to children through toys, cartoons, and video games. Robocop, Rambo, and even Police Academy each received the animated treatment despite their R-ratings.
I vividly remember watching the Toxic Crusaders animated series and playing the video game on the Sega Genesis as a young boy around the age of six or seven. I wouldn’t discover the film series that inspired them until several years later, and experiencing a new iteration of the gross-out vigilante brings me back that joyous, giggly feeling I rarely get from a movie-going experience anymore.
Related: The Toxic Avenger Director Macon Blair on the Unhinged Troma Remake
The Toxic Avenger plot
Winston Gooze (Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones) is a downtrodden janitor acting as a single father to his son, Wade (Jacob Tremblay, Doctor Sleep). Facing health and financial issues, Winston is desperate to make the best life for his son that he can. After he’s exposed to toxic waste, he’s transformed into The Toxic Avenger, a mutated, superpowered being and the city’s only hope against corrupt businessman Bob Garbinger (Kevin Bacon, The Bondsman)
The Toxic Avenger review
(L-R) Elijah Wood as “Fritz Garbinger” and Kevin Bacon as “Bob Garbinger” in the action,comedy, horror film,THE TOXIC AVENGER, a Cineverse release. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
Luisa Guerreiroas “Toxie”. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva / Legendary Pictures.
Luisa Guerreiroas “Toxie” Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva / Legendary Pictures.
Jacob Tremblay as “Wade.” Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva / Legendary Pictures.
Elijah Wood as “Fritz Garbinger.” Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
Peter Dinklage as “Winston Gooze.” Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva / Legendary Pictures.
Luisa Guerreiroas “Toxie.” Photo courtesy ofYana Blajeva / Legendary Pictures.
(L-R) Peter Dinklage as “Winston Gooze” and Jacob Tremblay as “Wade.” Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva / Legendary Pictures.
The Toxic Avenger premiered as the opening film of Fantastic Fest in 2023, and then, it just sort of just… disappeared. There were numerous murmurs from the festival, quickly making their way to social media. The film was called “unreleasable” due to its graphic depictions and overall bizarre storyline, which is exactly the type of word-of-mouth promotion that the movie deserves. Now, two years later, the Macon Blair-written and directed reboot is getting the release it deserves, and audiences better be ready, because it’s one hell of a goofy, grotesque, and gore-spattered ride.
Anybody going into a movie like The Toxic Avenger likely knows what they’re getting themselves into. It’s bubbling with nudity and exploding with violence and carnage, and features beautifully executed over-the-top practical effects. There’s dismemberment, bile, and acidic urination. It’s exactly the movie that it should be and perfectly captures the essence of Troma Entertainment’s original franchise.
Macon Blair — the writer and director of Netflix’s I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore — understands the character of Toxie. His script is oozing with satirical, slapstick comedy and dialogue delivered with razor-sharp perfection from a talented ensemble cast. Dinklage in the leading role is an inspired choice. The Game of Thrones actor has a unique mastery of portraying characters on the verge of collapsing under the weight of misery. He brings a quiet sadness to the role, hiding a small sliver of charisma and confidence beneath a pile of self-deprecatory behavior.
Related: James Gunn Can Bring One of DC’s Most Powerful Heroes to Life With The Office Star and He’s Game
Is The Toxic Avenger worth watching?
(L-R) Jacob Tremblay as “Wade” and Taylour Paige as “J.J. Doherty” in the action, comedy, horror film,THE TOXIC AVENGER, a Cineverse release. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva / Legendary Pictures.
Peter Dinklage as “Winston Gooze.” Photo courtesy ofYana Blajeva / Legendary Pictures.
Peter Dinklage as “Winston Gooze.” Photo courtesy ofYana Blajeva / Legendary Pictures.
Taylour Paige as “J.J. Doherty.” Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
Kevin Bacon as “Bob Garbinger.” Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
Luisa Guerreiroas “Toxie.” Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
The Toxic Avenger is a must-see movie for its target audience. Who is its target audience? Well, if you’re reading this review, it’s likely you. Those of us who find toilet humor hysterical, who love to see imagery so grotesque they grit their teeth and clench their pillows, this is a movie proudly and undeniably made for us. I loved spending two hours with Toxie, and I’d gladly have spent another two hours if the movie had kept going.
THE TOXIC AVENGER will be released In Theaters on August 29, 2025.
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