Toxic Avenger (1984)

Here it is, the one that started it all. Back in 1984 this low budget tale of a nerd who falls into a barrel of toxic waste only to become a super hero that crushes the bad guys in gruesome ways, became such a hit that it spawned its own children's television show called Toxic Crusaders, Cereal, Children's action figures and more. Sure this was an oddity even for the 80's but thinking back on it now it just proves how different the world we live in really is. This sort of thing would never happen today. There will never again be a independent film that depicts rape and over the top graphic violence that will spawn children's action figures.

The Toxic Avenger reflects the ridiculousness of comic book super hero's but is done with as little taste and class as possible. We have scenes of children being run over in the street by hit and run drivers who are playing a sort of Death Race 2000. We see the kids shattered body laying in a pool of blood in the middle of the street after the first collision but the car comes back again for some achy-breaky skull action (complete with head explosion), Then there is the fact that the movie is loaded with bare breasts, we get a black on white rape scene, a seeing eye dog is blown away with a shotgun, arms are ripped off, hands are stuck in deep fryers. We get gratuitous genital punching, heads are smashed together, eyeballs are poked out, etc. Despite the silly subject matter there are also some political messages thrown in for added fun. We have a Nazi police officer, a fat corrupt politician and the whole thing is some sort of warped message against pollution. In one of the best scenes a drug dealer has his achy-breaky skull smashed to bits from a weight machine in a gym.

The movie also has its share of stunts. We have people running down the street on fire. A cop has his hands catch fire and the skin melts away, some crazy car chase scenes, people being thrown around, men fall from bridges and we even get car explosions.

These were the days for Troma Studios. Class Of Nuke Em High would shortly follow as would Troma's War. Countless films would try to copy, mimic and ripoff the chaotic film making style of The Toxic Avenger and most would fail. The Toxic Avenger is always a perfect pick for a totally insane and mind-numbing time. The perfect movie to watch with a bunch of drunk friends.