The Toxic Avenger (1984) User Reviews

The posterchild for the 'so bad it's good' film brigade...

[Adec · 7/10 · 1 July 1999]

Lacklustre direction by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, a goofy script (by Joe Ritter), truly poor FX and even worse acting all add up to, for some strange, abstract reason, a stupidly enjoyable film experience.

Maybe it's the camp sounding music, the over the top (and in some cases *way* over the top) 'acting', or perhaps it's just the fact that it's so unashamedly weird and downright cheesy that makes it such fun to watch, who knows? Whatever the reason this definitely isn't a film to spend long hours contemplating such things, instead just sit back and enjoy the crazy show.

Performance wise, as already mentioned, none of the actors give even remotely decent performances, with the exception of Andree Miranda who's actually pretty good in her role as Toxie's blind girlfriend. All of the other actors are so far over the top (or indeed just so downright terrible) that by films end they too have somehow managed to take on their own distinctly cheesy charm and add greatly to the whole 'so bad it's good' motif.

As I may have mentioned once or twice before 'The Toxic Avenger' is cheesier than a block of cheese factories, and as such it takes a special type of person to enjoy 'this type of thing', however for those with their tongue planted firmly in cheek, and for lovers of schlock cinema and 50's z-grade monster movies this is a must see. For most everyone else though it's probably best avoided and will most likely induce headaches and annoyance rather than belly laughs and amusement. Which of the above descriptions best suits you I'll leave you to decide for yourself.

7/10

Undeniably fun

[mattymatt4ever · 6/10 · 30 March 2003]

You always have to take Troma films with a grain of salt, and that's exactly what I did. I enjoyed this film quite a bit. Though it's a typical B-movie, the premise is creative and I actually felt sympathy for the character of Melvin before his mutation. I know what it's like to be the underdog, so I was able to somewhat relate to him. So while some may have laughed at his quirky antics, I was too busy feeling sympathy for pool little Melvin.

The film is filled with quirky, low-brow humor, which often works. I just felt that the premise wore thin after a while, and that's when the film seemed to simply go through the motions.

Despite that, I had a good time and can understand why this is the film that put Troma on the map. So if you're in the mood for a funny, low-budget, low-brow horror-comedy, then please check out "The Toxic Avenger."

My score: 6 (out of 10)

Toxic Amusement

[Cineanalyst · 5/10 · 1 October 2020]

Intentionally a laughably trashy B-picture, "The Toxic Avenger" is more amusing than one might assume at first glance. Beginning as a poor-man's version of "Revenge of the Nerds" (also from 1984) set in a gym, the nerd of this one jumps out a window and, inadvertently, into toxic waste to escape the jock bullies and their bimbo girlfriends. Naturally, this turns him into a hideous superhero, and it turns out that there's plenty for him to clean up in the town of Tromaville, from the jock gang ripping off "Death Race 2000" (1975) by awarding themselves points for running people over with their car, all the way to a corrupt City Hall. All of which provides an excuse for repeated exposed bosoms and blood splatter in the tradition of a low-grade slasher flick. This ridiculous premise worked so well that the film has earned a cult status and even spawned a franchise of sequels and other merchandise--not unlike the following the monster-hero receives from the townsfolk within the picture. There have also been attempts to sanitize it by removing the gore and nudity, which seems counterproductive to me. What's the point of it then?

The frequently poor filmmaking only makes this more endearing. Far too much time is spent photographing the monster only from behind, to the point that the eventual reveal of his face is more of a relief than a potential fright. The fight scenes are silly, as well as grotesque. Cars explode upon impact and may be extinguished as quickly. The "Frankenstein" allusions range from blatant to confused, including reworking his relationship with a blind character into a romantic one. There's a running gag taken from "Dr. Strangelove" (1964) where the police chief is a Nazi, which is only humorous for how bafflingly flagrant the imitation is. The entire feature is a joke that's funny because it's in bad taste.

Revolting, disgusting, stupid- I loved it!

[zmaturin · 3 May 2000]

As a child I loved to stay up late and watch "USA Up All Night" (with Gilbert Gottfried or Rhonda Shear, I wasn't picky). This allowed me to sample pretty much every major Troma movie, and I discovered the meaning of the phrase "guilty pleasure". As I got older I stayed away from Troma, as their movies radiated the kind of feeling you get from wearing a shoddy Halloween mask too long and getting nauseous inhaling the cheap rubber fumes. But after sampling the delightful "Tromeo & Juliet" I decided to return to my roots and check out the directors edition of the classic "Toxic Avenger".

While I was right in remembering the films as the guiltiest of pleasure, the cheap charm of the film was undeniable, and there was a ton of gore in the movie that I never saw on T.V. Arms are severed, guts are ripped out, seeing-eye dogs are shot, and children's heads are crushed- and it all looks pretty good! Some of the acting will make you wince, some of the jokes are atrocious (there are mother-in-law jokes), and some scenes go on too long (the idiotic out-of-control-car sequence) or too short (Toxie taking his revenge on his tormenters is strangely gore-free, which is explained in the director's commentary), but I can't bad-mouth a movie that has it's hero stuff a little old lady in a washing machine. If you're a gore fan with a high thresh hold for bad taste, then give the Toxic Avenger another shot- I did, and I'm a better person for it. I think.

the epitome

[rutt13-1 · 7/10 · 24 June 2001]

Troma's best to this day, I still believe. Actually, I haven't seen the vast majority of their movies, but this has got to be the one on top. I love this! Deservedly the companies' most widely recognized film, it can't be ignored for it's willingness to go ahead and do whatever the hell it wants! The acting is completely ridiculous, but when was the last time you had so much fun watching??? The effects are pretty good, nice and gooey in all the right parts....If you've got a special place in your heart for satire, or just like bad, goofy movies, this is the one to see. All the pieces fall into just the right places.

So 80's you can reach out and touch the mullets

[tomgillespie2002 · 6/10 · 17 May 2011]

Four crazed teenagers speed down the road in their car, wildly bragging about points they've notched up by running down different people in the car. So many points for someone on a bike, so many points for an elderly person, and big points for a small child. "How many points for a child on a bike?" asks the driver, excited. Learning this will earn him maximum points, he proceeds to knock the small child off his bike, and he goes flying over the hood. They turn round and see the child move in pain. Horrified that he may lose out on his points, the driver then proceeds to reverse over the child's head, squashing it completely. Two girls get out of the car and take some pictures. This scene, for me, represents the majority of this film. More shocking than it should be, even today, but never taking itself at all too seriously, regardless of the horror on show.

Melvin (Mark Torgl) is a skinny, nerdy loser who works in the swimming baths, forever cleaning up with his mop. He is frequently bullied and humiliated by a high school gang who one day play a trick on him, which sees him kissing a goat dressed in a tutu. Horrified, Melvin flees and throws himself through a window, landing on a conveniently positioned (and open-topped) barrel of toxic waste. He begins to burn and rot, and eventually the toxic waste causes him to mutate in a taller, stronger, and ultimately more heroic beast, who wants revenge on his tormentors. Toxie (as he is now called, played by man-mountain Mitch Cohen) starts to clean up the city of Tromaville, which is being run by corrupt mayor Peter Belgoody (Pay Ryan), while at the same time romancing blind girl Sara (Andree Maranda) who he rescues from a rapist in a restaurant.

This was Troma's first big hit, and also their first foray into horror, having previously focusing on really crap sex comedies. After this, which after an initial unsuccessful run became a popular cult favourite on the B-movie circuit, they focuses only on horrors. This is the second Troma film I've seen. The other was Killer Nerd. You can probably assume from the title that it is a god-awful excuse for a film, although it is quite amusing in it's filmed-on-video awfulness (starring Harvey Pekar associate Toby Radloff). This, I'm pleased to say, was actually good! It was a hell of a lot more violent than I was expecting, and the special effects are actually pretty impressive in some places. And Toxie proves to be a likable vigilante/superhero, however hideous he may be.

Having said that, this is a low-budget Troma, and it's not exactly Citizen Kane. The acting is wooden, and the film is so 80's you can practically reach out and feel the sweatbands and mullets. But it is funny, satisfyingly gory, and, most importantly, fun. Toxie proves to be a more interesting 'superhero' than the majority of others. And the film actually has a social message in there somewhere, beneath all the tits and human-taco-making, recognising the pollution that we are all too aware of in our age of global warming and climate change. Now to sit through the three sequels, which I am quietly confident will be awful!

www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com

Great movie, Great movie

[maxastree · 7/10 · 2 January 2020]

Made on a low budget with a lot of brains, laughs and a complete disregard for good taste, this film finally makes a landing from the previously faceless Troma film group - becoming a flagship character of sorts.

The picture features a nerdy, hopeless outcast who is reborn as a muscular, mutated green warrior with a profound, theatrical delivery. Stylized violence, mainstream attitudes about beauty and success and simplistic "Hollywood" moralizing are fodder for satire in this well made, and frankly bizarre film from Lloyd Kaufman's company.

The worst movie ever forced on humans

[chvylvr80 · 1/10 · 13 October 2003]

Ah, Troma. Troma excels in turning out some of the most horribly made suckfests ever to go straight to video. The Toxic Avenger is the crown jewel in their crown of crap. I don't know why this movie has so many positive reviews, my only guess is that only people that like the movie would feel moved to write something about it. Since I hate this movie over all others I've ever seen, I was moved to drop a little hate and a different viewpoint into the user comments.

The production values, plot, acting, soundtrack, all suck the chrome of a trailer hitch. The movie budget couldn't have been more than 40 bucks. The gore and violence are far beyond anything I've seen elsewhere. I love violence and certainly don't mind blood but this movie actually offended me and this is from a person who looks forward to mayhem and bloodshed in all it's forms. I would love to tell you about my true thoughts on this film but the IMDB forbids profanity so I must remain silent on that.

Bottom Line: The Toxic Avenger is horrible. The worst movie you would ever be cursed to see. If you enjoy bad production, over the top gore and violence, and truly amateur acting, this movie is for you. If you demand quality, forget about Troma films entirely.

Has to be seen to be believed.

[Abyss47 · 8/10 · 9 February 2013]

One of the craziest, most over-the-top, and bizarre films I've ever seen. Still feels surprisingly fresh and puts the majority of today's superhero films to shame, including recent hits such as "Avengers Assemble" and "The Dark Knight Rises" (Coincidentally, the latter stole a line from this film). Why? Because not only does this not take itself even remotely seriously, it's hilarious to the point where the comedic timing rivals that of some of the most beloved comedies out there. The pacing is also practically perfect, ensuring there's not a single dull moment during the entire runtime. The only time where I started to feel the length was during the finale, but that's only because I was watching it late at night. Herz and Kaufman proved here that they knew exactly what it took to make an entertaining camp trash classic. It also has some rather well implemented social commentary, but never preaches to the viewer or makes them feel as if they're watching a "message movie" in disguise. "The Toxic Avenger" is certainly not for everyone, and the average person is likely to automatically label it as juvenile garbage with no redeeming values, but for those with an open mind and a strong stomach for pretty much anything, it's simply an absolute blast from start-to-finish, and if any of Troma's other films are even half as entertaining, I have a feeling I'm going to quickly become a huge fan.

Simple Jacked

[shlunka · 7/10 · 19 April 2016]

Joe Ritter's script felt like the lines from Commando extras infused with a tinge of glamour and a Dante/Raimi darkness. The lead protagonist is a C.H.U.Dian built superhero version of Day of the Dead's "Bud". (So, in essence, it's Bud the C.H.U.D...) Andree Miranda plays the attractive but flat testosterone absorbing female better than Roxanne Kernohan.

The gore is cartoonish but satisfying for those who expect the entire movie to be like Emil's toxic demise in Robocop.

Lloyd Kaufman's direction was perfectly lackluster, being sure to get plenty of gore and cheese without any substance to throw off the taste. While Mark Torgl's lead feels eerily similar to Simple Jack, in a good way.

If anything, this movie shows that, in order to go full vengeance, sometimes you have to go full retard.

Probably the best film Troma have made to date, that ain't saying much though...

[poolandrews · 5/10 · 13 May 2005]

The Toxic Avenger starts with a shot of the New York City skyline. A narration informs us that 'New York City, the worlds capital of culture & industry. Here, among the towering skyscraper's, civilisation is guided by men of progress & the wonders of technology. But for all this industrial advancement there is a price to pay. Pollution, the unavoidable byproduct of todays society, every year millions of gallons of poisonous wastes, garbage & radioactive chemicals are disposed of in nearby towns such as Tromaville the toxic waste dumping capital of the world. Our story takes place at the Tromaville health club where a young man named Melvin Furd (forget what the IMDb says, it's definitely Furd not Junko) works. Melvin's entire life, in fact entire being was changed by toxic chemical waste...' Melvin (Mark Torgl) is a real loser, nerd & all round wimp. Melvin is a mop boy at the the Tromaville health club & everyone makes fun of him, especially four local thugs named Bozo (Gary Schneider) his girlfriend Julie (Cindy Manion) plus Slug (Robert Prichard) & his girlfriend Wanda (Jennifer Prichard as Jennifer Babtist). One day the four decide to play a cruel practical joke on Melvin & humiliate him in front of as many people as possible. However things go wrong, or right depending on whichever way you look at it I suppose, & Melvin ends up head first in a barrel of hazardous toxic waste. As a consequence Melvin mutates into the Toxic Avenger (Mitch Cohen as Mitchell Cohen), wow. After saving an Irish cop named Officer O'Clancy (Dick Martinsen) from a gang of three thugs, Cigarface (Dan Snow), Knuckles (Doug Isbecque) & Nipples (Charles Lee Jr.) Toxie discovers that he enjoyed being a hero & so decides to clean Tromaville up by single-handedly wiping out the evil forces which contaminate the town. Mayor Belgoody (Pat Ryan as Pat Ryan Jr.) is as bent as they come & starts to notice a drop in his profit margins from his illegal activity, he puts pressure on the Chief of police (David N. Weiss as David Weiss) to find the Toxic Avenger & kill him before Toxie finds & kills them...

Directed by Micheal Herz & Lloyd Kaufman as Samuel Weil I thought The Toxic Avenger was one seriously brain-dead film made for idiots by idiots, you can take that anyway you like considering that I actually quite liked it. The script by Joe Ritter is as stupid as you can imagine, this thing makes the Police Academy films (1984 - 94) look like the pinnacle of sophistication! The jokes are really dumb & moronic, furthermore it stretches the boundaries of acceptability & taste. The Toxic Avenger pokes fun at blind people, beating old ladies up, running children over & going back to crush their heads while later on in the film a woman masturbates over some photographs of the incident & putting a dwarf into a washing machine & turning it on. The sort of comedy you can expect in The Toxic Avenger isn't exactly classy either like someone putting a snake down a fitness instructors top & his class copying his silly movements as he tries to grab it or Toxie's blind girlfriend Sara (Andree Maranda) making him a sandwich filled with Draino. Subtle obviously isn't a word in director's Herz & Kaufman's vocabulary. There is some over-the-top violence & gore, a squashed head, ripped off arm, fried hands, shotgun blasted guide dogs, intestine ripping, beatings & a bit where a guy has his head crushed by some weights but it's all rather fake looking & presented in a slapstick sort of way. Tecnically The Toxic Avenger is awful, the acting is terrible as is the cinematography, editing as continuity obviously wasn't an important issue for the filmmakers & overall production values. There are some reasonable, if cheap looking, car stunts in a brief action sequence as well. Having said all that I did actually find some of it quite amusing (I'm not sure what that say's about me) & in a fun sort of way it, for the most part, works as a whole. It's very well paced, something is always happening whether it's an outrageous bad taste joke or just some good old fashioned violence & gore. I can't really recommend The Toxic Avenger as a good film but it did keep me entertained throughout & that's all I was hoping for, I mean I didn't expect high art, or an educational thought provoking study of modern society did I?! Fun, but an acquired taste & only for those with the stomach.

The Best Kind of Trash

[glenmatisse · 9/10 · 9 August 2020]

The king of trash movies. It's so effortlessly entertaining that things that should be offensive are easily laughed off. It's the only movie I can think of that can make a young child getting run over by a car side splittingly hilarious.

Proof that low budget movies can be good.

[13Funbags · 6/10 · 12 May 2017]

It takes a special kind of person to appreciate Troma movies.They definitely aren't for everyone.This is considered to be their best movie but I would say it's only in the top ten.This movie(like many other Troma flicks) takes place in the imaginary town of Tromaville, New Jersey.A town that has become a dumping ground for toxic waste.For some reason all the cool kids hang out at the local gym where poor, geeky Melvin works as the mop boy.Of course the cool kids hate Melvin and decide to play a trick on him.A hot girl tells him if he puts on a pink tutu she will have sex with him.She makes him close his eyes to kiss her and he opens them to find out he is kissing a sheep in front of all the cool kids.He runs down the hall and falls out a window into an open barrel of toxic waste that is on a flatbed truck that has pulled over so the driver can snort coke.The waste transforms him into a monster that loves to violently kill anyone who hurts people.For a low budget film the plot and special effects are pretty good.The jokes can get a bit cheesy but that's what Troma is all about.Six stars.

How much Troma-Trash can you handle?

[Coventry · 5/10 · 7 January 2007]

Purely talking in terms & standards of Troma Film Productions, "The Toxic Avenger" is almost like a true masterpiece! It's a fast-paced and immensely entertaining smutfest, stuffed with grotesquely gooey make-up effects, politically incorrect situations and ridiculously absurd toilet-humor that somehow puts a giant smile on your face despite being unspeakably awful! The plot borrows the clichéd elements of average 80's teen-slashers, as a constantly bullied moron, working as a cleaner in the Tromaville's fitness center, is hurled in a barrel of radioactive toxic waste after one-too-many juvenile pranks. However, he emerges again as a horribly deformed and 7 ft. tall superhero still wielding his mop, only now to fight crime and wreak havoc on all those who mistreated him. The crime scenes Toxie encounters are extremely offensive, but at the same time irresistibly hilarious because they're so over the top! A clique of hyperactive teenagers randomly drive their car over the faces of children on bicycles ("Death Race 2000"-style), crazed robbers aim their guns at little babies and guide dogs for the blind and old ladies are beaten up with their own canes. The gore effects surely are nauseating, but never really unsettling or shocking. Naturally, there's also tons of rancid sleaze and embarrassingly bad jokes on display and witty dialogs are the last thing you should expect in a script written by Joe Ritter and Lloyd Kaufman. The last fifteen minutes are rather tame in comparison with the rest of the film, because the two had already run out of ideas. Overall, "The Toxic Avenger", as well as the entire Troma-repertoire, represents the lowest form of horror film-making, but it can be fun when watched in the right mental state of mind.

A Jersey Classic

[MetalGeek · 8 December 2006]

Troma Films is legendary in the New York/New Jersey area, where most of their films are shot. (I was on site during the filming of a crowd scene for "Class of Nuke'Em High" in Paramus, New Jersey during the summer of '85, but to be honest I've never been able to find myself on screen in the movie.) The Toxic Avenger is arguably Troma's most accomplished work, and remains its most famous/popular film. Oddly enough, despite the tasteless humor and constant gross-out scenes in this movie, the title character spawned several sequels (of varying quality) and was eventually re-cast as a kid friendly cartoon character (!) with an environmental message in the late '80s that resulted in a line of comic books, toys and action figures!! Watching this gutbustingly hilarious 1985 classick (pun intended) now, it's hard to believe how far "Toxie" came. The Toxic Avenger's humor is definitely not for everybody, but if you're from Jersey, you are hereby required to rent it at least once. On a side note, Joe Zarro, who appears in this film as the proprietor of the dry cleaner's shop, taught English and Film Studies at Paramus High School in the late 1980s. His star turn in "Toxic Avenger" was widely known among the student body, yet he seemed somewhat embarrassed by it and naturally, he wouldn't even consider screening it for our class. What a shame!!

The Toxic Avenger Still Rocks

[Tweetienator · 6/10 · 29 April 2022]

The Toxic Avenger is one of those Troma horror flicks you should have watched at least once in your lifetime befor entering the next level - if you love horror comedies, of course. What you get is perfect cheesy horror 80s style with a lot of humor, overacting, some naked boobs, weird stuff happening scene after scene, fueld with crazy characters, and last but not least, some gory moments and violence. Still great fun for the connoisseur of sleazy 'n' trash. Don't forget: there are a couple of sequels, quality ranging from okay to solid.

Appropriately selfaware trash

[breakdownthatfilm-blogspot-com · 6/10 · 14 November 2021]

In the world of movies, many know of the main genres that cover all kinds of stories. But like anything else, there's always sublevels to these groups which can be broken down even further into their own genres. These genres are not the ones people either readily know about, have access to or is spoken of. An example of this are films produced from "The Asylum". Their reputation has become known for either making cheap knock offs or making cheap sequels to popular mainstream blockbusters. There are people who actively invest their time into those films. The same could be said for films made by Lloyd Kaufman under the Troma Entertainment banner. In a way, it's just another acquired taste like the previous company mentioned earlier. And although Kaufman was directing films a decade or so before this movie, it was this that got people's attention.

The story written by Kaufman and Joe Ritter in his first credit is about the fictional town of tromaville located on the outskirts of New York. The town is filled with polar opposite citizens; those who have common sense and others who literally do the most absurd things no reasonably sane person would ever do. Among them all is Melvin Junko (Mark Torgl), a loser pool boy at the local health club. He's by no means socially equipped to navigate through such an environment and is easily bullied. One day after a group psychotic adults play a practical joke exposing him to toxic waste, he transforms into The Toxic Avenger (Mitch Cohen) and voiced by Kenneth Kessler. Now having superhero strength, Melvin takes it upon himself to rid the evil in his town of Tromaville. The film was also directed by Kaufman and Michael Herz, who collaborated with Kaufman on a few previous projects.

What works in the movie's favor is the tone audiences will experience from the execution. It's a simple plot about a discarded protagonist whose misfortune seen to others, turns out to be the best thing that could have happened to him. While out on his crusade Melvin crosses paths with a blind girl named Sara (Andree Maranda) and soon develops a connection. Its cliché but seeing the protagonist earn the respect from someone is something anyone would want. Does that mean the acting and characters well rounded? Absolutely not. Except for Melvin and Sara, no other character has redeeming qualities or resembles that of any regular human being. The way the actors play them and the way they're written are bizarre caricatures of what someone having no idea how a real person would behave.

It's very strange to watch but that's partially the appeal because it is so out there. Of the adults that badger Melvin, Julie (Cindy Manion) and Wanda (Jennifer Babtist) are the women of the group who have the most reprehensible interests. Topping it off though are their partners beating up grannies in the street who are rightfully named Slug (Robert Prichard) and Bozo (Gary Schneider). How more obvious can a movie be with how serious they want their audience to take these characters? It's ridiculous and stupid to watch. Surprisingly, many of the actors in this feature didn't move on from it. The only two to kind come away with a career was Patrick Kilpatrick and Pat Ryan. The rest kind of dropped off shortly after. Adding to that are the violence and special effects.

This is mostly the reason why Troma Entertainment got more attention. Many of the films before were strictly adult. But somehow this found a wider release. There's plenty of blood and gore for those who love it despite not being a horror film. The camerawork by James A. Lebovitz was acceptable. Some of the not so hidden things within the filming process were not even noticeable and the action sequences are decently put together too. Lloyd Kaufman also assisted in this work. Finally, the music behind this movie was mediocre at best. There was no soundtrack unfortunately to get the full experience. There is a recurring theme for the Toxic Avenger...and it sounds familiar, but can't pinpoint it. There's other original songs sprinkled throughout the movie making it clear this is from the 1980s, but nothing that'll be a real ear catcher or sung by any popular artists.

This is by no means a great film. The characters and the acting behind it is so outlandish it's beyond realistic. Music wasn't that memorable either. Yet with that said, the way the simple story is executed along with good effects and camerawork make this worth a watch even if it wastes time.

This movie falls in to that the movie is SO bad it's good for a Laugh

[atinder · 6/10 · 14 August 2013]

Well you know what your going get when you head first in troma movie.

As soon as the movie started, I could not stop laughing and these bunch of Adults in there early to mid 30's acting like teens in this, the acting in this movie was So bad it was laughable.

The movies keep going on, I loved the plot the movie, was really clever, Horror fans never really had their own monster superhero

Well that kind of original Idea in 80's, this movie as some decent amount of Bloody deaths.

But I do think they spent bit to long death scenes just kill them already.

Well acting didn't really bother movie after first 10 minutes, I think it's improved just tiny bit, with rest of the over the top movie.

This movie falls in to that the movie is SO bad it's good for a Laugh.

6 out of 10

Toxic waste transforms nerd to superhero

[meguski · 1/10 · 17 July 2006]

Toxic waste transforms nerd to superhero

Is this a good movie? Heavens no. Is this a classic? Hell yes. The story of the Toxic Avenger is far too pale and insubstantial to bother writing a serious and worthwhile review. I mean, why should I write a real movie review if the movie makers didn't bother to make a real movie? The movie makers did however create a classic cult film with hilariously entertaining scenes of "extreme violence." Who knew that using your car to run down a kid on a bike and then backing up over his head is worth 28 points? The Toxic Avenger is the definitive Troma Film. Whether or not you are a fan of other Troma productions, and I cannot imagine why you would be, I do strongly feel that everyone should experience this movie, preferably with several friends and healthy amounts of beer.

The beginning of a new era...

[Captain_Couth · 10/10 · 3 November 2003]

The Toxic Avenger (1985) was the flagship of Troma's movie line during the early to mid 80's. This film was responsible for keeping the company a float during this time period and it also marked a turning point in the company's history. For years, Lloyd Kaufman and company were making cheesy sex comedies. With the birth of the Toxic Avenger, they started to expand their horizons, focusing on low budget horror/comedy trashy spoofs films. Instant cult classics were being produced by Team Troma. The Toxic Avenger is a Charles Atlas tale gone a wry. A weak nerd is transformed into a superhero of "superhuman size and strength." Melvin Junko is his name. Melvin was a mop boy for a local health spa. One day when a mean prank turned into a horrible accident, he was exposed to an open drum of toxic waste. That unfortunate mishap transforms and mutates Melvin into an avenger, a TOXIC AVENGER. Troma becomes a worldwide phenomenon and the Toxic Avenger becomes one of the most famous cult films of all time. A must for all campy cult film fans!!

Highly recommended!

This is a good start for people wanting to venture into the Troma world

[carlykristen · 7/10 · 16 November 2006]

Toxic Avenger 21st Anniversary Ed. 2 Disc Set 2005 (Unrated), Original Release 1986

Bullies torment innocent Melvin Junko, the janitor at a Health Club. After he falls into toxic waste, he returns to kill the evildoers as the Toxic Avenger. Along the way, he falls in love with a blind girl, angers citizens, and has the Mayor try to kill him.

The opening of the film has preachy narration about pollution and toxic waste, which would make an astute viewer think that Yale grad, Uncle Lloydy, was actually trying to say something here. The film has many scenes of violence and I can understand the controversy. But all of that is undercut by sheer lunacy and it is hard to take this seriously.

No one is off limits here: Blacks, Jews, Gays, children, the blind, obese people, the elderly, and midgets. There is even a gay gangster named Nipples. You will see a seeing eye dog shot, a blind girl almost raped, and an old lady beat to death by own her cane. Oh, and there was that young boy that was run over repeatedly while trying to crawl away for help. And that girl in the sauna? Yes, she is masturbating to pictures of the dead boy. Sadistic, enough?

The comedy is plentiful though. The first scenes with goofy Melvin and the bimbos and lugheads are hilarious. The theme song "Body Talk" had me singing along. And then there is the "Healthy Troma" billboard prominently displayed throughout the movie featuring a portly Mayor.

The one scene that was borderline difficult to watch was the restaurant hold up. The guy in the make-up looked like a scary clown and tormented the people innocently sitting there. He shoots the blind girl's seeing eye dog and his Black accomplice attempts to rape her. Of course, before things veer into really nasty territory, Toxie saves the day and lands himself a clumsy girlfriend that cooks with Draino.

The special effects are awesome considering there was no budget. I heard they used watermelons and spaghetti to make some of the effects, but I couldn't tell. Toxie sounded incredibly weird though. I thought maybe this was voice-over work done later since the actor was in make-up and couldn't move his face. Or maybe it was intentional. Either way it added to my enjoyment.

Favorite Quote: A cop says to a young boy, "Johnny, You can't just walk around doing what is right."

DVD Extras: "Intro & Outro", Chapter Selection, Interviews with Director, 3 Actors, and Toxie, Deleted Scenes, and "Where in the World is Toxie?" showing clips from around the world including the Fantasia Film Fest.

Bonus Disc: "Fan Submissions" has testimonials from fans including wrestler Blade and films/ music videos by fans. "Toxic Avenger the Musikill" is a live stage play with the film in the background similar to the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The Extras include several Trailers, Troma Commercial, and Make Your Own Damn Movie info.

Bottom Line: A must own for Tromans. This is a good start for other people wanting to venture into the Troma world.

Rating: 7/10

Molly Celaschi www.HorrorYearbook.com MySpace.com/HorrorYearbook

How has this not been banned?

[reubenholcomb · 1/10 · 25 December 2021]

It's not really the acting that makes this filth so unwatchable, it's the horribly distasteful and disturbing cruelty. I had to stop watching immediately after the first death scene in which a group of teens run over an innocent boy twice. The second time, it shows the boys head being crushed and the girls getting out of the car to take pictures of the body with an attitude like they just won the lottery. Seriously, who even thinks of such things let alone goes through the effort to visualize it? If you think that is entertaining in anyway then you're part of what's wrong in the world and I want nothing to do with you. It makes me sick to see the high reviews on this and more so to read that some people did in fact find that scene to be funny! What if that happened to your own child? Still funny then? Absolutely disgusting.

great parody movie 1980's style

[r-c-s · 9/10 · 8 July 2005]

1 you must like spoof & parody movies. There are endless details making this movie great. Its texture is not much different from A class/budget spoofs like police academy, naked gun, hot shots etc.

this movie is an endless parody of movie clichès. Some people mistake targeted parody for poor acting. No way. I'm not saying it's an A+ Hollywood rubbish colossal, yet during the first part of the movie ( the mop man weakling made fun of ), you clearly see facial expression, mimicks etc are over the top & purposefully so.

This movie has scenes that are copied, borrowed or else identical in super budget A+ later movies. Ex when the mop man bathes into toxic waste: Joker from Batman movies, anybody? Ex when the monster hijacks a car with two villains, killing one and riding the other at full speed to his death: the crow, anyone? And when the car finally explodes & the monster is unarmed: Terminator anyone?

The blind girl ( Maranda is very very pretty ) affair reminds of Ben the rock man from the fantastic 4 in some comics.

the scene where the slutty bimbo teases the mopman to wear a ridiculous outfit to arouse her, only to trick him in front of a sheep with bra in front of everybody, so he runs away in shame with all the overly exaggerated gestures is a clear parody of many culprit "trauma scenes" from more famous movies.

The moral is all those glossy & fancy morons poking fun at the nerdy mopman are in reality drug addicts, weirdos, killers, hit&run drivers, pimps, pushers etc; so in reality the "pathetic" mopman & the ugly monster are much better than those scumbags.

There is gore but not much & anyways not enough to bother an adult. There are a few girls who'd belong to a porn flick, a sauna masturbation scene & the monster has sex too, but overall it isn't more graphic than most cable TV crime movie; i'd say less.

There is violence bar none: two weirdos cane an old lady to death; a dog is shot & the blind bimbo is almost raped (clockwork orange spoof ).

There is also parody of more conventional items in superhero movies. Ex Batman hides in the bat caves; Superman in the north pole Fortress and the monster hides in a junkyard. When he gets the blues for being sick of mashing criminals, he & his girlfriend go hide in his favourite place: another dump. There you get a camping tent & she's in bikini.

The monster roars & that's clearly an incredible Hulk spoof. To rescue hostages in a fast food, the monster faces criminals who are themselves a parody of the bad bunch: an horny Negro, a painted-face punk white and a third slick dressed white who faces the monster with some agility martial arts moves, etc. Again, parody of a bunch of clichés.

The monster helps oldies cross the street; helps housewives open cookie jars (fun poked at conventional superheroes)

I liked this movie very much. It's a spoof; it's a comedy. You can't expect Orson Wells and Kenneth Branagh, yet the acting is not so poor as let believe. Watch it.

This is a pretty cool movie.

[jgusw · 7/10 · 20 October 2000]

It's a fun movie for yourself and I few friends to watch, if you just want to sit around and watch movies. I wouldn't recommend it to watch with your parents or anyone like that. I you like low budget movies, then this is what you want to see. If you like those blockbusters from Hollywood, then you might want to skip this one.

The Most Retarded film ever made!

[tnarulzimpactzone · 1/10 · 15 May 2007]

One day a bunch of retards got together and made a film, they called it Toxic Avenger. This Pathetic super hero film wannabee, has everything from a girl having an orgasm over a person in a car crash; which is downright weird and disgusting. You have a the Hero 'Melvin' who you just want to shoot for being such an idiot. You have a stupid fat mayor as the villain who couldn't go for a minute without eating junk food of some description. There are comedy moments which just aren't funny; (I will not mention them as I do not want this comment to contain a spoiler). The mobster 'Cigar face' who is a rubbish spoof of 'Scarface' just annoyed the hell out of me with his idiotic catchphrases and his 'trying to be funny but just not' style.

Overall this movie was just a stupid p**s take.