Long-gestating ‘Avenger’ proves toxic in every way
Macon Blair’s version of “The Toxic Avenger” is less a remake of the 1984 original and more of an offshoot that’s no less silly and possibly even more disgusting. But the central idea is the same: a weakling janitor is tossed into a vat of industrial sludge and re-emerges as a hideous-looking superhero wielding a glowing-green mop that dissolves flesh on contact.
That’s where the similarities end, as Blair diverges wildly from Lloyd Kaufman’s vision of the character by reimagining him as a recently widowed, terminally ill step-dad with barely a penny to his name. His name is Winston Gooze, and as portrayed by Peter Dinklage, he’s a little person with an oversized heart devoted to restoring happiness in his grief-stricken step-son, Wade (Jacob Tremblay).
For the first 30 minutes or so, as we get to know Winston and empathize with his plight, you’re transfixed by the film’s despotic air of doom and gloom in which an entire city is slavishly at the mercy of a maniacal industrialist in Bob Garbinger (an over-the-top Kevin Bacon). He and his Igor-like younger brother, Fritz (Elijah Wood), answer to no one – except the local mob boss, Thad Barkabus (Jonathan Coyne), to whom Bob has fallen deeply into arrears.
All fit snuggly into a depressing cityscape where the sun never shines and the rivers and streams emit a greenish glow courtesy of the tons of toxic sludge Garbinger’s pharmaceutical factory has long dumped into the waterways. It’s a surreal setting made eerily real by computer graphics and imaginative set designs by Alex Cameron and Ivan Ranghelov. But then it all goes south the instant Winston gets tossed into the oozy sludge by a band (literally) of debouched punk rockers doubling as the Garbingers’ muscle.
This, of course, means no more Dinklage, at least not in the flesh. His handsome face and equally potent charisma are suddenly buried beneath a cheesy latex monster suit in which the only thing visible is his right eye, assuming that’s even him under the garish costume. It robs the film of its lone source of humanity, as it evolves into a tedious combination of superhero tropes and bloody, gross-out bits that culminate in Toxie predictably saving the day.
Like the original, this version of “The Toxic Avenger” is intent on satirizing the superhero genre, but the laughs – at least for me – never came. Most land with a thud, setting the eyes rolling and impatience growing. And the longer it goes on, the more annoying Bacon becomes with his unchecked hamminess. I suspect Blair, an actor by trade, was reluctant to call out his infinitely more famous peer. If so, it was a glaring mistake. At least Blair summons terrific work from Taylour Paige as Toxie’s serendipitous accomplice.
Paige’s feisty J.J. Doherty is indirectly the only tie to Melvin Ferd, the titular character in the initial incarnation of “The Toxic Avenger.” The Troma Studios creation was followed by a trio of sequels that became the darling of a small but dedicated fan base. It will be interesting to see what those loyal followers will make of this revival. Blair stays true to the essence of Toxie, but other than the superior acting and special effects, I’m not sure his entry is much of an improvement.
It does, however, continue his long association with Elijah Wood, who also starred in his previous directorial effort, “I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore,” and appeared opposite Wood in the horror classic, “The Green Room.” But this one pales by comparison, a fact borne out by the reality that “The Toxic Avenger” has been sitting on the shelf for nearly two years. And to add insult to injury, it enters theaters on Labor Day weekend, traditionally a time void where bad and difficult-to-promote movies go to die. To that, all I can say is, rest in peace, “Toxic Avenger.” I seriously doubt you’ll be missed.
Movie review
The Toxic Avenger
Rated: R for sexual references, language throughout, brief graphic nudity, strong violence and gore
Cast: Peter Dinklage, Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood, Jacob Tremblay and Taylour Paige
Director: Macon Blair
Writer: Macon Blair
Runtime: 102 minutes
Where: In theaters Aug. 29
Grade: C-
