Toxie is back…. brand new…

With all the recent remakes, it was only a matter of time until we eventually came to the bottom of the barrel of titles left to redo for a new generation and here, we are, finally reaching the worst of them all. Now, that may seem like disrespect, but hold onto that lethal mop, if you have seen the original 1984 film, then you will understand that what I have written is of the highest compliment.

The film studio TROMA was well known for its low budget exploitation style of filmmaking, and their crown jewel was Toxie – The Toxic Avenger, the story of how a simple janitor became a mutant vigilante and a hero in the fictional town of Tromaville. It was crass, toilet humour at its best or worst and yet wonderfully engaging, a film rightly classified as a “cult classic” that spawned three film sequels, a TV show, a musical and of course a much devoted fanbase.

Now Toxie and his toxic mop is back in a sort of remake that is not a remake. Yes, the general theme is there, but it’s hard to capture that perfect B-movie vibe and goofy 80’s charm, when the budget is much higher, with a CGI in full flow and recognised faces in the cast that include Peter Dinklage, Kevin Bacon and Elijah Wood.

Dinklage plays Winston, a cash strapped employee of BT Healthstyle and a struggling stepfather to Wade (Jacob Tremblay), whose mother has died and struggling with life itself. When Wade himself gets diagnosed with brain disease – the plot vice used in KILL BILL for when the BRIDE’s name is mentioned is full on display here – Winston worried for the future of Wade, goes to the company’s CEO, Bob Garbinger (Kevin Bacon), which eventually leads him crossing paths with J Doherty (Taylour Paige), on a mission to bring down Bob’s company, the metal band Killer Nutz acting as assassins to those against the company and of course down to that dip, a quick swim in that toxic waste which transforms him into an all new Toxie.

That is about it for plot. Luisa Guerreiro takes over under all the prosthetics with Dinklage adding the voice and what follows is a bloodbath of a revenge story that does not take itself seriously and wants those watching to clearly have the same fun as those who are making it.

Macon Blair writes and directs, clearly knowing his TROMA history with enough easter eggs and homages to delight fans of old and while the humour is nowhere near the levels of the original films (how could it be in 2025?) he still manages to bring a lot of heart to the proceedings, making us care for Winston, even when he is ripping off limbs and wielding his toxic mop towards those who clearly deserve it.

Much like its original, the style won’t be for everyone, its broad humour at its best, but for a studio remake of a film that was never meant for mainstream, we can only applaud that there is still room and an appetite for this kind of film-making, where we see the lead character get his own penis out and piss on his own face. Its crass, it is ridiculous, its grotesque, but that is what we loved over 40 years ago and guess what? we still love it now…

What other 80’s hero can we bring back? DARKMAN please!

3.5 Hatchets out of 5