The Toxic Avenger is exclusively in UK and Irish cinemas 29 August. Distributed by Signature Entertainment.
Synopsis
Winston Gooze (Peter Dinklage) is an ordinary janitor, who after a shocking accident, transforms a downtrodden janitor into a mutant vigilante. Armed with his signature mop, the unlikely hero battles freaks, gangsters and corrupt CEOs while trying to save his relationship with his son.
Review
After a precarious production journey that began in 2010, the remake of The Toxic Avenger is finally hitting our screens. The 2025 reboot arrives with a mop bucket full of promises, aiming to recapture the anarchic spirit of the 80s original. While it successfully mimics the visual chaos and leans heavily into the slapstick gore of its predecessor, the final product feels disappointingly hollow. It’s a film that perfectly replicates the splatter but struggles to make its own mark, trading subversive satire for a series of empty, albeit momentarily amusing, gags.
On a purely superficial level, the movie has its moments. The commitment to practical effects is laudable in an age of sterile CGI, and there’s a certain childish glee in watching Toxie dispatch villains in increasingly absurd ways. The action sequences are choreographed like a live-action cartoon, prioritizing creative, gruesome humor over any sense of real danger. For those simply looking for a turn-your-brain-off gore-fest, these scenes might be enough to carry the film. The energy is there, but it’s frantic and without purpose.
Despite its ‘UNCUT’ subtitle, the film doesn’t feel like it earns its 18 rating in 2025, as much of the gore is the kind of slapstick violence seen in more adult-oriented cartoons. The subtitle also implies an original ‘CUT’ version exists, which seems unlikely; removing the gore would render the film incoherent since the violent deaths are too integral to the scenes to be edited out.
Verdict
The problem is that the original Toxic Avenger, for all its low-budget charm, was angry. It was a grimy, cynical satire taking aim at corporate pollution and societal apathy. This reboot sands off all those interesting, jagged edges. The social commentary is nonexistent, replaced by a generic and toothless plot that serves only as a flimsy framework to connect one fight scene to the next. The characters are one-dimensional archetypes, and the story lacks any genuine heart. It’s a fun ride for a few minutes at a time, but ultimately, it’s a forgettable and shallow experience that feels more like a corporate product than a rebellious piece of filmmaking.
⭐⭐.5
