Table of Contents
Today’s daily digest begins with a quick review of a film that I got more excited about the closer it got to its long-awaited release date! Take a look below and keep reading for daily news and trivia!
Movie of the Day: The Toxic Avenger
Yesterday I had the pleasure of seeing The Toxic Avenger in a theater. After waiting two years for its release, I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to be able to say that. And after such long a wait, I also wasn’t sure what I was in store for. I’m a decently big fan of Troma, but I didn’t think that a studio like Legendary could do justice to a Troma classic, even with Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz producing. I will say that this new version of The Toxic Avenger doesn’t capture the exact same brand of trashy greatness of Troma, but it’s still an awesomely fun time.
This reimagining of The Toxic Avenger stars Peter Dinklage as Winston Gooze, a single stepfather raising the teenage son of his deceased girlfriend. Winston works as a janitor for a predatory health and pharmaceutical company run by a horrible person named Bob Garbinger (Kevin Bacon). One thing leads to another (I don’t want to spoil too much of the beginning of the movie), and Winston is tossed into a pool of chemical waste by one of Bob’s colorful killer goons. But Winston doesn’t die. He mutates, becoming a resilient green-skinned hero who stands up for the little guy by using lots of gory violence.
Even though the story isn’t quite the same as the original, and even though some of the trashier and more transgressive elements aren’t there, this Toxic Avenger is clearly made by people who love Troma. Director Macon Blair is obviously a fan because there are tons of nods to Troma classics, some more obvious than others. And of course, as I mentioned above, the founders of Troma, Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, were there to produce. So, the spirit of Troma is alive and well in The Toxic Avenger.
But even if you’re not a fan of Troma, The Toxic Avenger is still an incredibly fun movie. It’s goofy and laugh-out-loud funny at times. It’s roll-your-eyes dumb at times too, but that’s all part of the charm. The story has heart and relevancy, and I appreciate how it doesn’t dwell on its message at the expense of the fun. And maybe most importantly, the action is over-the-top and filled with splatter. Many practical effects are used, though there is a sizable amount of CGI gore as well. I would have liked a higher percentage of practical versus CGI when it comes to the gore whenever possible, but that’s really my only nitpick.
Star Rating: 4 out of 5
Like the original, the new The Toxic Avenger won’t be for everyone. The comedy can be sophomoric (though the dialogue is often witty and hilarious), and the splatter won’t be to everyone’s taste. But I’d say that this Toxie is more accessible to a wider general audience than the Toxie from 1984. Especially in the modern cinematic world. And I say that with all the love for the original Toxie. That’s my Toxic Avenger, and he’ll always be my favorite. But for today, the new Toxic Avenger is a riot. And a blast. And a brain pouring out of a clown’s head.
In the News
- Vertical has attained the rights to release Luc Besson’s Dracula in North America. The film is expected to be released in the first quarter of 2026. (Deadline)
- IT: Welcome to Derry is scheduled for release on HBO Max on October 26th.
Birthdays
Maria Zudina was born on September 3rd, 1965. Her only horror film is Mute Witness (1995), but what a film it is! Maria stars as Billy Hughes, a special effects artist working on a horror movie being filmed in Moscow. Billy is mute, so when she witnesses a murder on the film set after hours, she can’t scream for help. This is one of my (many) favorite movies of the 1990s, and it’s one I try to recommend to as many people as possible. You can currently stream Mute Witness on Shudder.
Clare Kramer was also born on September 3rd, in 1974. Clare played the Big Bad of the fifth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Glorificus (aka Glory). Her character was a god from a Hell dimension whose only obvious weakness was having to inhabit the body of a human whom she would periodically have to trade places with. Glory appeared in twelve episodes of Buffy‘s fifth season, and Clare appeared one more time in a season seven episode as a form of the First Evil. In horror, Clare has also appeared in a few movies including The Thirst (2006), Tales of Halloween (2015), and The Dead Ones (2019).
Events on This Day
Martyrs, one of the more harrowing entries in the New French Extremity wave of films, was released in France on September 3rd, 2008. The combination of psychological and gruesome physical horror continues to disturb people to this day. The film begins as a brutal revenge movie, but it turns into something even more distressing when certain secrets are uncovered. Martyrs was remade in America in 2015, but just watch the original. It’s streaming for free (with ads) on Fandango at Home.
