The Toxic Avenger

I have been remiss with regard to posting recent horror movie reviews. I've been busy, and though I've been watching movies, I haven't felt compelled to review. Today though, I hope to play a wee bit of catch-up. Otherwise I fear that Bijoux will kick my ass. =)


--Reviewed by Lindy Loo

Plotline: A nerdy mop-boy at the local health-club has a prank pulled on him by obnoxious jocks that causes him to fall into a nearby vat of toxic waste. He mutates into the Toxic Avenger, taking on the bullies of the town as payback. And when he has a few minutes to spare amidst all the avenging, he romances himself a blind woman.

Scariness factor:Camp, folks. So nil.

Gross-Out Factor: There's a lot of scenes of skulls and stuff getting crushed. But they're moreso fun and campy than gross.



Complaints: This movie has ridiculously over-the-top acting, annoying characters, and complete silliness in it. I mean, it's camp. So that's to be expected. But I found myself fluctuating between finding it really quite funny and finding it really FUCKING ANNOYING. It kinda felt like it was trying too hard. So yeah. That'd be my major complaint. I've never called a movie out for being TOO campy, but if I was going to, this'd be the one. That and I SERIOUSLY could not handle the mop-boy prior to his morph into the Toxic Avenger. I know he was SUPPOSED to be annoying, but MOTHER OF GOD was he annoying.

High Points: This movie is pretty fun and silly. The acting is ridiculously over-the-top. And it's horribly 1980's, from hairdos, to clothing, to music. It's also built itself up a huge cult-following, so there's something to be said for that.



Overall: I dunno. I heart campy films, but I found myself thinking that my life wouldn't be any less fulfilling had I not ever seen this one.

Grade: C+