The Toxic Avenger (1984)

Your enjoyment of this one is going to boil down to the fact if you like Troma Films. It is an acquired taste and even though this is one of their most restrained efforts, it most definitely is not for everyone. But for those seeking something different, you can hardly go wrong with it. 

Melvin is the cleaner at the Tromaville Fitness. Tromaville is a town that is used as a toxic chemical dump by the major cities. It is also a festering cesspool of crime, spurred on by a mayor that is corrupt to the bone. Melvin gets picked on by some assholes (and believe me, there are many in this town) and he ends up in a vat of chemical waste. It then proceeds to mutate him into a hulking mass of muscle: the Toxic Avenger. Though he is deformed, he is not evil and instead becomes extremely angry and vicious in the presence of evil, meaning he is now on a quest to rid Tromaville of all evildoers.

And he gets a cute blind girlfriend along the way. Love really is blind. 

No seriously, that is the actual joke there.

You could argue that there is a lot not to love here. The acting ranges from atrocious to uneven, the story is silly, most of the people are idiots and the brutality of the crimes is completely over the top. 

Incidentally, those are also the main reasons why this is actually an extremely funny and enjoyable film. 

Sure, the acting is pretty far out there, but in this case it makes sense, because this is first and foremost a parody of superhero stories. Especially the overblown heroic (and badly dubbed) voice of the Avenger is hilarious. The hamming it up of all the villainous characters feels in line with the rest and you quickly get used to it. Especially the complete overacting of Bonzo, who constantly shouts that he is stressed, becomes a joke in and of itself. Personally, the nazi police chief is way too funny, especially because the actor is trying to downplay it and only occasionally lets it shine through. 

What made this film so 'remarkable' is the use of practical effects to their full gruesome detail and considering the budget they were working on, it is almost poetry. Heads get crushed, limbs get ripped off, hands get deep fried... And all in full view and on display. Sure, gross-out humour and gore effects are a staple of Troma's diet, but here it is relatively subdued and all fits in with the story, instead of just being overly yucky just for yuckiness' sake. 

'The Toxic Avenger' is one of those rare films that can be thoroughly enjoyed when you don't expect too much, but just go all in for the insanity of it. You could complain about the bad acting or the gross effects, but then you would be missing the point. Troma isn't here to make high art, it's here to make silly films that are just plain goofy fun and one of their best in all its low budget glory has to be this one. 

Watch it with some friends, that might heighten the experience.