“The Toxic Avenger” saw its world premiere on Thursday at Fantastic Fest in Austin. Directed by Macon Blair and based on the 1984 film of the same name from directors Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, “The Toxic Avenger” follows Winston (Peter Dinklage) and his step-son Wade (Jacob Tremblay) as they navigate their grief following the passing of Wade’s mom. When Winston receives devastating medical news, he resorts to robbing his company’s vault, resulting in a terrible, toxic waste accident that grants him superhuman powers.

The main draw to the 1984 version of the film came from its slapstick humor and raunchy comedy. Characters constantly swear, speak in sexual innuendos and injure themselves in a cartoonish fashion. All of that remains in this remake but with a contemporary twist. The humor draws from modern talking points like pronoun usage or references to songs like Khia’s “My Neck, My Back.” On top of that, the movie never takes its premise too seriously, which makes every joke that much better. The best moment like this comes when Dinklage drops a bad one-liner and side characters razz him, making fun of his weak humorous attempt.

The cast consists of a large variety of award-winning actors including Peter Dinklage, Elijah Wood, Kevin Bacon, Taylour Paige and so many more. Each actor does a wonderful job at selling the dialogue and plot points, no matter how insane they appear. One minute, actors will find themselves in a high-intensity action sequence, and the next they’re cracking one-liners to break the tension. Their great comedic timing and character performances make for a quick-feeling pace that’ll keep audiences on their toes.

As most remakes do, “The Toxic Avenger” holds many references to the original, most notably a cameo from someone die-hard “Toxie” fans will recognize instantly. The movie also incorporates motifs from the original score that elevate the rest of the music composed by Brooke and Will Blair. Even some shots directly mimic the original film, such as the iconic silhouetted field scenes. 

“The Toxic Avenger” made for a perfect opener to Fantastic Fest and serves as an incredibly stunning remake of a cult classic that most fans may find they enjoy more than the original.

3 ½ tons of toxic waste out of 5