WARNING: This review contains a disgusting jokes and high levels gore and some strong languages. Readers discretion is advised
You know, ever since Hollywood exists, many filmmakers really want to make their movies to be something, original, entertaining and creative in order to make profits. Sure there are based on true stories or even some source material. But as years went by, it feels like we’re running out of ideas, but capitalizing the original films for the sake of modern viewers, without knowing the original film exists, all that for the sake of making money to cashing in over the classics. (cough “Disney Live-Action Remakes” cough)
But what about if anyone out there decided to cashing in to do a remake film based on low budget film from the past? Which is very UNLIKELY to see a new movie based on B movie, but of course, there are some people does gave us the remake of B movies like The Blob and Death Race. But in 2025, aside the crap-tastic Disney remakes like Snow White and Lilo and Stitch, but its also the year that we have two remakes based on B movies, with one them that gave us surprise is The Toxic Avenger.
“The Toxic Avenger (Unrated)” is a 2025 (though first came out 2023) remake superhero black comedy that was written/directed by Macon Blair, and produced by Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufman.
Let me give you a brief retrospective if anyone may or may not familiar of a familiar B movie filmmaker, Lloyd Kaufman. While working on couple of adult films from the 70s, Kaufman decided to building his own studio called “Troma Entertainment” with his friend Michael Herz, he and Mike wanting to make completely different than porn, they wanting to make a very cheap horror films in a silly way, playing a parody of 50s horror films in parody with splatter gorefest. One of which is “The Toxic Avenger” a 1984 superhero black comedy that was directed by both Herz and Kaufman (but under different name as Samuel Weil). According to Kaufman, this movie was originally intended to be a horror film to cashing in on classic monster movies, since while read one article when he was in Cannes Film Festival, the monster movies were declining, so he came up this idea, the original Toxie was released as a midnight movie, and the rest is history that it became a classic B movie for cult fans But, it also weirdly being capitalized into a family friendly superhero without the violence, kinda like Robocop that the first one came out in R-Rated, but the sequels are toned down for merchandising for kids.
And now we have the remake, the idea came back in 2010, where it was announced to be a remake, while continuing a family friendly superhero, but being rated PG-13. However, that plan had been changing with new people been involved like Macon Blair as both writer and director, but its been changed to bringing Toxie back to the old route for remake, mainly to bring back the superhero black comedy gorefest. However, the film was first premiered on 2023 in Fantastic Fest, but the wide release wouldn’t be until Cineverse acquired the distribution rights in January of 2025 with Iconic Events Releasing and Lionsgate Films (ugh…!) follow suit to be released on August 29th 2025.
So, is it a worthy return of Toxie? Lets find out.
Just to let you know, I won’t do the comparison between the original and the remake, cause I haven’t seen the original one.
Anyway, after a flash or potential moments, the movie begins in the dark night of Body Talk Healthstyle (or BTH for short), where former worker turned whistle-blower named J.J. Doherty break in to steal a secret information as proof for the report with the help of her investigative report partner, only to get caught by nu-metal gang named “The Killer Nutz”, who are like BTH’s guardians, she manages to escape, but her partner was killed. Meanwhile, we introduce our main hero named Winston Gooze, the janitor of BTH who lives in a small town St. Roma's Village and having a family struggle, mainly his relation to his stepson Wade, ever since his wife, Shelly, died from cancer. However, despite his effort to save Daisy’s cat from a thug named Spence, Wade is still didn’t trust Winston for their chemistry, and things went upside down when Winston received a phone call from hospital that he has a brain disease that it’ll be difficult to get an uncovered medication, but what he didn’t know is that BTH has some shady business practice based on their business decline either a complaint from toxic waste and the owner and the assistant, Bob Garbinger and Kissy Sturnevan are unable to pay the debt to mobster Thad Barkabus. But after the private conversation in fundraiser get thrown out for being potentially fired, Winston takes his revenge by dumping his mop in a toxic sludge as his own weapon. But his setup didn’t last long as he got bumped by J.J. and startled by The Killer Nutz, once again, she escapes and Winston gets gunshot and dumped into a pool of toxic sludge, revived and mutated. But after causing disturbance, ripped Spence’s arm off he was escaped and meet a hermit named Guthrie Stockins who gives him the truth that BTH are going after Winston’s son and gives him a motivation to fight back, its up to Winston becomes an unlikely hero in avenge the family and against BTH’s secret truth.
It feels just like one of those poorly treated protag before becoming a hero for revenge, kind of like Venom when Eddie Brock was fired and takes his anger with his Symbiote. But here, its more like a freak accident turned, with the name implies, avenge in the name of family and health, based on his brain disease he was diagnose. Its kind of standard, but trying something new for character development, il give credit for the writing. But speaking of the writing, it has some of the most foulest and ridiculous dialogues I’ve ever heard. Sure, they gave us some heart-warming moments like the chemistry between Winston and Wade or Guthrie comforts mutated Winston to become a hero, but its no stranger that because this is garbage B movie, they pretty much pulled plenty of dialogue with bunch of profanities, some twisted jokes and shit. I mean, I do have a chuckling moment which one of the dialogues. Aside the humors of the dialogue, as for the visual gag, its a double edged sword that I do have a chuckle from some physical humors, but other times they put some cheap pee jokes (unless that part could be a plot convenience), let along with some brief cock out moment, which I guess it might be explained why I watched the Unrated version.
As for the film’s presentation, its surprisingly looking nice, though I didn’t check a further budget from wiki, but from my belief from research, it is said it costed less than $5M, though the filming’s budget is about $500K from the start, but it got more due to combination of distribution and the marketing.
For the filming, it looks pretty nice, but man the coloring from background and the quality is all over the place, its like we’re tripping on acid, though im assuming it goes into similar style from horror cult classic called “CreepShow” mainly the colors in a similar to EC Comic horror visuals, though im sure some of your are okay with the lighting, but for me, I find it to be odd, but then again, its a B movie. Though at first upon their filming location, I thought this movie was filmed in whichever small town in USA, you know, just to film away from big city. But in reality, it was actually filmed in Bulgaria, which I guess it explained why some minor actors have their Bulgarian names minus some familiar actors in the credit.
But of course, what better way that since this is a garbage B movie, they’re going to giving us the kills, and ohhh boy, its no wonder why im watching the Unrated Version. It has one of the most brutal and goriest kills I’ve seen for B Movie based on the OG The Toxic Avenger, mainly due to Winston/Toxie’s strength and the use of toxic mop from ripped off body parts to exaggerated blood bursting out like something out of anime. But some of the kills are standard and gory from decapitation, impalement from toxic mop or even head explode, but some went a bit far like when Toxie reaching thug’s ass and… Im not gonna describing this, just use your imagination. At first, I though they’re done with CG blood and gore, but in reality, because this a garbage B movie, the blood and gore were done in practical effects, which is a very good shits right there. And finally, the make-up and the costumes are pretty nice too, though when looking at the skin of Toxie, he looks like if he’s the toxic version of The Incredible Hulk, though im assuming its based on the pattern from Troma Entertainment logo’s color. Though yes, speaking of the latter, im aware the movie has a couple of Easter Eggs if anyone who are familiar of this franchise, though not for me, im new when it comes to it when I’ve seen review over the OG The Toxic Avenger.
For the casts, its quite surprising that unlike any B movies have either upcoming actors or some random nobodies, here they have high profile appearances (some at the time, or some are new) in this remake like Peter Dinklage, Jacob Tremblay, Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood and several others. And for their performances, despite the ridiculous script, I think they did a nice work for their performance, especially some they gave me a chuckle worthy.
As for the characters, they’re quite of over the top, but there are some are nicely written, even if some have their own development that could work, but some are typical.
You have Winston Gooze/Toxie (played by Dinklage) who’s from ill-mannered janitor turned mutated toxic monster for his vengeance for being an unlikely hero after briefly died, along with trying to reconnect to his stepson (though Dinklage is doing a voice over while the actor in Toxie costume is played by Luisa Guerreiro), Wade (played by Tremblay) is an unconnected stepson ever since her mom died, J.J. Doherty (played by Taylour Paige) who’s a whistleblower who used to work with BTH based on their shady business practice for ruining people’s live and wasting toxic sludge, Bob Garbinger (played by Bacon) who’s an oblivious corrupt owner of BTH who’s protective to keep his business going while questioning the financial declining, Thad Barkabus (played by Jonny Coyne) who’s a mobster for demanding Garbinger to pay the debt or else (which I though he’s Bob’s partner, but he’s not), Kissy Sturnevan (played by Julia Davis) who’s Bob’s assistant, Fritz Garbinger (played by Wood) who’s Bob’s young brother and the manager of the guard and nu-metal gang, run by Budd Berserk (played by Julian Kostov) and Spence (played by Abraham Lewis) who’s the first victim from Toxie.
I find these character are above average that they have nice development for their crazy developments and their plots, while some are underdeveloped or just for graphical bodycounts. But still, il give a credit to having some familiar actors in a B Movie remake.
In conclusion, its the most chaotic, gory, ridiculous and garbage. But in a good kind of garbage movie. This movie has some fun stuff that gives me a good laugh, practical gore, interesting casting choice with familiar faces (and voice), the presentation looks nice and some characters are pretty good, while some are just… There.
Sure, the movie has some flaws like some pee joke, the aforementioned underdeveloped characters and kind of standard unlikely hero story, but at least the latter has a good execution what they pulled off.
If you’re a fan of The Toxic Avenger or Troma films, this one is definitely for you. But if you’re new like me, I’d say go watch it once, by yourself for say the least for Unrated Version that I just watch, but then again you’ll make your conclusion. But I actually enjoyed this movie, it feels like a purposely “so bad its good” film, I mean I watched a couple of garbage movies that gave me a laugh for either very bad or badly entertaining. But with the remake of The Toxic Avenger, I’d say give this one a watch.
And that’s all for my mini review, tell me what you think in the comments bellow.
Thanks for reading, and im Anthony, signing out.





