Every superhero’s origin story is different, but in many cases, there’s a dramatic physical transformation that also involves a significant change in personality and relationship circumstances. Not all defenders of justice have cool powers or costumes, and some are seen as outright villains, whether it’s because of their vigilante status or the fact that their appearance legitimately scares people. The Toxic Avenger has a particularly high bar to clear given the fact that he is created from trash, hardly the most suave and salient setup for earning the admiration of those he protects.
Winston Gooze (Peter Dinklage) works as a janitor, mourning the loss of his wife and struggling to connect with his stepson Wade (Jacob Tremblay). A series of regrettable events and moments of desperation result in an accident that finds Winston disfigured by chemicals. Known as Toxie, Winston goes to bat for anyone who can’t defend themselves and aims to take down those he knows are bad, like the self-serving, power-hungry Bob Garbinger (Kevin Bacon), finding unexpected allies like J.J. Doherty (Taylour Paige) along the way as he also tries to prove to Wade that he can and wants to be the father he needs.
This film’s title doesn’t exactly mask its premise, and few unsuspecting audience members should wander in thinking it’s the latest Marvel movie (though this character was previously featured in Marvel comic books that had nothing to do with the more famous Avengers). Some might not even be aware that it’s a remake of a 1984 cult classic film of the same name which took a while to be properly appreciated as a gore-heavy B-movie that showcases the transformation of someone woefully disrespected and mocked into a powerful entity capable of destroying his enemies with little effort, even if the way he’s able to do that involves a less-than-desirable makeover.
Just on paper, there are major differences between this film and the original that spawned three sequels. That was Mitch Cohen’s first screen credit, whereas Dinklage is a four-time Emmy winner who is beloved within the industry and is concurrently starring in another awards bait role on Dexter: Resurrection. The rest of the cast is of a similar caliber, with Tremblay a great example of a child actor who has continued to pursue strong roles as he’s grown up and Paige a rising star. This might be more fitting fare for Bacon and Elijah Wood, who plays Bob’s henchman brother, but they’re still mainstream stars in a film that, despite featuring such a theoretically off-putting character, actually looks pretty good.
It’s interesting to see this cult film turned into something that isn’t quite a B-movie by writer-director Macon Blair. His previous feature, I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore, starring Wood alongside Melanie Lynskey, was certainly off-kilter, and featured its share of bloody revenge from someone who was sick of being bullied and taken advantage of but never knew how to fight back. That Netflix film was clearly aimed at adults, while Blair’s The Toxic Avenger, despite an R rating that warns of strong violence and brief graphic nudity, among other things, sometimes feels like it’s made for children, but the kind of film that parents don’t actually want them watching even if they’ll appreciate it more than they should.
Though its target demographic is a bit of a mystery, with a much sleeker look than the original and a storyline that seems deliberately simplistic and potentially more fitting for a younger audience that isn’t necessarily old enough to watch this film, it does have its moments and leans into the thrill of Winston realizing what he can do as he comically tries to hide his appearance to maintain both the element of surprise and not scare off potential allies. Even under heavy prosthetics, Dinklage’s voice is very recognizable, and he’s certainly capable of carrying any project, and it’s fun to see Paige opposite him, taking her role much more seriously than most of the rest of the film. It’s a bit too scattered to be entirely satisfying, but given the right expectations and attitude, this twisted superhero story should be a fun ride.
Movie Rating: 6/10
