THE TOXIC AVENGER Review: A Remake That Doesn't Forget the Laughs or the Guts

It's not small task to a) take on a remake of a popular cult classic, and b) take on a remake of a beloved cult classic that's classic not only in its own right, but firmly  so because of it's low-budget, low-grade quality. If you throw money at a remake, does that take away its proverbial street cred? Can a film that succeeds, at least in part, because it is vastly imperfect, be remade with when expectations of perfection will exist?

Well, if you've got the heart, the story, and the performances, it seems you can. The long-anticipated remake of one of Troma Entertainment's most beloved films, The Toxic Avenger, hits the screens this week, and it's a very enjoyable update of the horror comedy. While it may have a much larger budget than the original, that money is used well, keeping the Troma B-movie spirit alive.

In the modern version, Winston (Peter Dinklage with his best houndog expression) is a single step-dad to teenage Wade (Jacob Tremblay), who lost his mother to cancer. Winston works as a janitor for BLH, a health care company that offers everything from pills to pillows — though of course, it's all just making people sicker. One woman, J.J. (Taylour Paige) is trying to get evidence on how company guru Bob (a delightful Kevin Bacon) is poisoning his customers. A bad medical diagnosis, a robbery attempt, and a trespassing gone wrong, and Winston finds himself crawling out of a vat of green sludge, now grotesquely transformed into Toxie.

Moving the villains away from just everyday criminals and lowlifes to the larger villains of greed and capitalism makes for a more relatable narrative that strives for something a little deeper. The father-son story at the centre of the film is heartfelt and sweet, and Dinklage and Tremblay have great chemistry, showing how teaching in a parent/child dynamic can go both ways. And Winston learning that bravery is not just about muscle, but abut brains and courage. Though of course, toxic-super-powers help.

Because make no mistake, while Blair and his team make sure this film has a strong heart, you can't have The Toxic Avenger without silliness, violence, and tons of guts and blood. And in this respect especially, the new version stays true to the original. Using practical effects as much as possible, we see arms torn off, guts spilling out across floors, decapitations, bodily fluids spewing out of every orifice. The action is dynamite in its grotesquerie and inventiveness; some of it will look familiar, but Blair keeps the pace going through these scenes so we barely have a moment to breathe.

Clearly, the entire cast are having a ball. Bacon playing the slimey villain, Wood under some interesting prosthetics, playing the ugly right-hand man who's not always comfortable with his tasks. There's a great supporting cast, from the henchman to the minor characters who understand the assignment of providing well-timed one liners and off-colour jokes that help flesh out the world of the story.

Dinklage needs to be given more comedy, and it's to understand how his Winston would go from mild-mannered guy to a reluctant hero. It should be noted, that he only provides the voice for Toxie; and he does a great job, but the physical performance, under all that make-up and prosthetics, is Luisa Guerreiro. More known for her theatre and physical comedy and circus work, she is clearly the MVP of the film, making us believe in how Toxie needs to learn to use his newfound skills to fight for what's right.

However, given that this is big (ish?) budget remake of a film that works in no small part because it was low-budget and therefore, could get away with a lot not only in style but in story, there is something that feels a little too safe about this new version. While it's definitely never going to appeal to a wide audience due to the violence and gore, this still reaches for a bigger audience than any Troma film, and often feels like it's avoiding any overt controversy. While it's nice that a lot of the sexism of the original has been set aside, there is still something missing when you're looking to appeal to more people that takes away some necessary risk.

Despite these issues, The Toxic Avenger is a great way to finish the summer season: a healthy dose of laughs, actors having a ball, great effects that look and feel human-made, and a story of courage to work together to stand up to bullies.

The Toxic Avenger opens on Friday, August 29th, in theatres in the USA, Canada, and the UK.