The Toxic Avenger (2025)
November 22, 2025
4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY REVIEW:
Cineverse;
Horror Comedy;
Box Office $2.87 million;
$29.99 DVD, $38.99 Blu-ray, $46.98 UHD BD, 49.98 UHD BD Steelbook;
Rated ‘R’ for strong violence and gore, language throughout, sexual references and brief graphic nudity; Disc version is unrated.
Stars Peter Dinklage, Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige, Julia Davis, Jonny Coyne, Elijah Wood, Kevin Bacon, Luisa Guerreiro.
The remake of The Toxic Avenger meshes comedic horror with the tropes of a comic book movie for a slimy and subversive good time.
Based on Troma’s 1984 film of the same name that spawned a multi-media franchise, the new Toxic Avenger updates the narrative with an anti-corporate bent and takes on the vibe of a 1990s-style superhero movie as it spoofs the tropes of an origin story. Though it references the previous films, viewers don’t need to have seen them in order to appreciate the new version.
The story centers on Winston Gooze (Peter Dinklage), a downtrodden janitor for a corrupt pharmaceutical company that is pumping toxic sludge into the environment. As he tries to care for his stepson (Jacob Tremlay), Gooze is diagnosed with a deadly brain disease, but his corporate insurance denies funding for his treatment. Winston pleads with his boss (Kevin Bacon) for help, but is shunned, prompting him to decide to raid the company vault.
His robbery attempt coincides with the efforts of an activist whistleblower (Taylour Page) to steal ooze that will expose the company’s crimes. The company’s hired thugs, a local punk rock band named The Killer Nutz, are called in to address the security threat and kill Winston by mistake.
They dump the body in a reservoir of sludge, which revives Winston, cures his brain disease, and transforms him into a mutated green monster who pisses acid and has blood with magical healing powers.
After learning the morality of superheroes from a homeless guy in the woods, Winston arms himself with a mop dipped in toxic waste and takes to the city to defend the people from injustice, a crusade that earns him the nickname Toxic Avenger and ultimately leads to a clash with the corporate bigwigs who wronged him.
The film is hilariously loaded with over-the-top gore as Toxie casually mutilates his targets with bloody violence as he works his way through one goon after another. The version of the film available on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD disc is the unrated cut that was released in theaters, as opposed to the digitally available ‘R’-rated version that was screened at various festivals the since 2023 while the movie was seeking a distribution deal. The unrated cut offers some extra gore and, most notably, a nude scene for Toxie.
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Bonus materials are available only with the regular Blu-ray Disc editions of the film, be it the standalone Blu-ray or the Blu-ray disc included in the 4K combo pack (the 4K disc offers just the film).
Highlighting the extras are a very good commentary with writer-director Macon Blair, who discusses his creative choices for the film, including distinctions from and references to the original version. Supplementing this, the 13-minute “A Toxic Environment: Best of Behind-the-Scenes” featurette offers some looks at the making of the production.
Rounding out the extras are the film’s trailer and a couple of featurettes celebrating the “Toxic Avenger” franchise. The 10-minute “Toxic Shock: A 21st Century Hero” recounts the four original “Toxic Avenger” films before scream queen Tiffany Shepis shows up to explain why America needs a hero like Toxie again. And the “40th Anniversary of The Toxic Avenger” video offers a 15-minute version of a bizarre live-stream from the Horror 101 With Dr. AC YouTube channel in which the host conducts a discussion about the history of the franchise with three puppets, which perfectly encapsulates the Troma spirit.