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THE TOXIC AVENGER
* * * * (1984, 82 minutes, Rated R)
Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of New Jersey? The Toxic Avenger knows!
It was a rare treat for me: Reviewing a movie that I’ve actually seen before and wanted to see
again.
I first saw The Toxic Avenger as a teenager -- maybe 15 or 16 -- and it left quite an impression on
me. I don’t just mean the nudity or the sex scenes, though those stayed in my hormonal mind for
quite some time. The violence was so graphic, so over the top, that I couldn’t believe a film could
show what I was seeing. It left me speechless. And nauseous -- eating eggplant pizza while
watching The Toxic Avenger was a bad idea.
* * * * (1984, 82 minutes, Rated R)
Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of New Jersey? The Toxic Avenger knows!
It was a rare treat for me: Reviewing a movie that I’ve actually seen before and wanted to see
again.
I first saw The Toxic Avenger as a teenager -- maybe 15 or 16 -- and it left quite an impression on
me. I don’t just mean the nudity or the sex scenes, though those stayed in my hormonal mind for
quite some time. The violence was so graphic, so over the top, that I couldn’t believe a film could
show what I was seeing. It left me speechless. And nauseous -- eating eggplant pizza while
watching The Toxic Avenger was a bad idea.
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So when J.D. Drew, Official Research and Development
Officer of the Bargain Bin Review, mentioned that he’d
never seen The Toxic Avenger before, that was all the
excuse I needed. Besides, I was curious to see if The
Toxic Avenger was as graphic as I remembered it.
Yep, it is.
Our story takes place in fictional Tromaville, New Jersey,
“The Toxic Waste Capital of the World.” And sure
enough, here are a heap of toxic waste barrels with no
lids. Ah, the Reagan era, where the safe handling of
toxic waste was for Commies and wimps.
Officer of the Bargain Bin Review, mentioned that he’d
never seen The Toxic Avenger before, that was all the
excuse I needed. Besides, I was curious to see if The
Toxic Avenger was as graphic as I remembered it.
Yep, it is.
Our story takes place in fictional Tromaville, New Jersey,
“The Toxic Waste Capital of the World.” And sure
enough, here are a heap of toxic waste barrels with no
lids. Ah, the Reagan era, where the safe handling of
toxic waste was for Commies and wimps.
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| Eggplant pizza: Delicious, but not while watching The Toxic Avenger. |
The first third of the movie centers on the Tromaville Health Club, packed to the gills because…
well, it‘s the ‘80s, and hanging out in spandex at health clubs is just what you did back then. The
only person not getting physical at the Tromaville Health Club is Melvin the Mop Boy. Think of
Melvin as an even dorkier version of Napoleon Dynamite.
well, it‘s the ‘80s, and hanging out in spandex at health clubs is just what you did back then. The
only person not getting physical at the Tromaville Health Club is Melvin the Mop Boy. Think of
Melvin as an even dorkier version of Napoleon Dynamite.
| (left) Melvin the Mop Boy; (right) Napoleon Dynamite See, I told you. |
All of the clientele at the Tromaville Health Club really, really hate Melvin, but none as much as
Bozo. The mere sight of Melvin drives Bozo berserk, and he and his crew take great pleasure in
hassling Melvin. It seems a bit weird at first -- the kind of thing that can only happen in an ‘80s
movie -- cuz Melvin is such an easy target. But then we see that Bozo and his crew enjoy
recreational hit-and-run homicides, so that explains a lot
I did like how the floor of Bozo’s car is covered in empty Budweiser cans -- I’m sure that’s just the
kind of product placement the company hopes to get.
After running down a boy on his bike and then backing over his head (neither children or dogs are
safe in this film) we get a long close-up of the carnage as the ladies in the gang take pictures and
get hot. Amazing, on a shoestring budget 25 years ago, and the effects here are still more
unsettling than anything in today’s horror films. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: no one does
gore like Troma. And even J.D.Drew, a grizzled and experienced zombie movie fan, was a bit
wigged out.
After Melvin walks in on two of Bozo’s crew having hilariously animated softcore sex (people don’t
flop around that much riding mechanical bulls), our homicidal bullies decide to pull a doozy of a
prank. Using the power of toplessness, Bozo’s girlfriend talks Melvin into putting on a pink tutu
and tricks him into kissing a dressed-up goat in front of the entire health club. The crowd laughs
Melvin right out a window and head-first into a barrel of toxic waste. Because this is a Troma film,
everyone continues laughing hysterically while Melvin goes into convulsions.
And lo, Melvin becomes The Toxic Avenger. Or simply “the monster hero,” as he’s referred to in
the movie. In case you’ve never had a good look at him, Toxie looks like the Elephant Man on
‘riods.
Bozo. The mere sight of Melvin drives Bozo berserk, and he and his crew take great pleasure in
hassling Melvin. It seems a bit weird at first -- the kind of thing that can only happen in an ‘80s
movie -- cuz Melvin is such an easy target. But then we see that Bozo and his crew enjoy
recreational hit-and-run homicides, so that explains a lot
I did like how the floor of Bozo’s car is covered in empty Budweiser cans -- I’m sure that’s just the
kind of product placement the company hopes to get.
After running down a boy on his bike and then backing over his head (neither children or dogs are
safe in this film) we get a long close-up of the carnage as the ladies in the gang take pictures and
get hot. Amazing, on a shoestring budget 25 years ago, and the effects here are still more
unsettling than anything in today’s horror films. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: no one does
gore like Troma. And even J.D.Drew, a grizzled and experienced zombie movie fan, was a bit
wigged out.
After Melvin walks in on two of Bozo’s crew having hilariously animated softcore sex (people don’t
flop around that much riding mechanical bulls), our homicidal bullies decide to pull a doozy of a
prank. Using the power of toplessness, Bozo’s girlfriend talks Melvin into putting on a pink tutu
and tricks him into kissing a dressed-up goat in front of the entire health club. The crowd laughs
Melvin right out a window and head-first into a barrel of toxic waste. Because this is a Troma film,
everyone continues laughing hysterically while Melvin goes into convulsions.
And lo, Melvin becomes The Toxic Avenger. Or simply “the monster hero,” as he’s referred to in
the movie. In case you’ve never had a good look at him, Toxie looks like the Elephant Man on
‘riods.
With that, Toxie stumbles his way into Fighting
Crime, one alleyway assault at a time (by the
third or fourth, it gets a little tiring). They’re
strange sequences: Toxie usually takes on
three or four baddies at a time, fight-fight-fight,
and then Toxie brutally maims or kills them.
He even gets creative, actually taking the time
to make a sundae on one gunman’s face
before drilling the milkshake blender through
his head.
Then, abruptly, Toxie would take a break from
his good-doing and to get revenge on Bozo
Crime, one alleyway assault at a time (by the
third or fourth, it gets a little tiring). They’re
strange sequences: Toxie usually takes on
three or four baddies at a time, fight-fight-fight,
and then Toxie brutally maims or kills them.
He even gets creative, actually taking the time
to make a sundae on one gunman’s face
before drilling the milkshake blender through
his head.
Then, abruptly, Toxie would take a break from
his good-doing and to get revenge on Bozo
and his gang, complete with all the beats of a classic slasher movie. What do you make of
scenes like these when the victims are homicidal bullies, and the killer is the hero?
Naturally, the Toxic Avenger would go on to star in his own children’s cartoon series.
scenes like these when the victims are homicidal bullies, and the killer is the hero?
Naturally, the Toxic Avenger would go on to star in his own children’s cartoon series.
| Yes, really: Toxic Crusaders had a very short-lived run on FOX in 1991. |
But it’s hard not to love the Toxic Avenger, with his
faker-than-fake ‘80s pro wrestling fighting style and
his dubbed growling. His dialogue is usually
dubbed, too, and I absolutely love how Toxie is given
the velvety voice of a blaxploitation villain. The hero
montage is priceless, as we watch Toxie fight crime,
help old ladies cross the street and even assist in
unscrewing jar lids. By the end of the film, the Toxic
Avenger has won the love of gorgeous blind girl and
become a folk hero to the people of Tromaville. It’s
not surprising that Toxie quickly became the face of
Troma Entertainment.
faker-than-fake ‘80s pro wrestling fighting style and
his dubbed growling. His dialogue is usually
dubbed, too, and I absolutely love how Toxie is given
the velvety voice of a blaxploitation villain. The hero
montage is priceless, as we watch Toxie fight crime,
help old ladies cross the street and even assist in
unscrewing jar lids. By the end of the film, the Toxic
Avenger has won the love of gorgeous blind girl and
become a folk hero to the people of Tromaville. It’s
not surprising that Toxie quickly became the face of
Troma Entertainment.
And why not? The Toxic Avenger has it all: gratuitous nudity, graphic violence, wildly goofy acting,
stunningly immature comedy and a soundtrack that clearly inspired the soundtrack to “Grand
Theft Auto III” and the film still manages to have a heart. What more could you ask for? A
musical?
stunningly immature comedy and a soundtrack that clearly inspired the soundtrack to “Grand
Theft Auto III” and the film still manages to have a heart. What more could you ask for? A
musical?
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-- and who didn't? -- and
want to read more about
this Great American
Classic, then get a
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Friends of The 'Bin:
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Or you can purchase the
DVD at
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-- and who didn't? -- and
want to read more about
this Great American
Classic, then get a
second opinion from our
Friends of The 'Bin:
BAD MOVIES.ORG
FULL MOON
REVIEWS
Or you can purchase the
DVD at
HELLHORROR.COM