DVD Corner

The Toxic Avenger (1984) 4K UHD Review

“The Toxic Avenger” is Troma’s best.

In anticipation of the upcoming “The Toxic Avenger” reboot, Troma is releasing the 1984 original on 4K. Set in the town of Tromaville, New Jersey (the most polluted city in the world), the Joe Ritter scripted story revolves around Melvin- a dorky janitor that works at the Tromaville Health Club. Melvin is bullied by 4 individuals in particular (Bozo, Julie, Slug and Wanda) who also happen to be hit and run serial killers. One day Julie pranks Melvin (in a pink tutu) which ends with him taking a dive into a toxic waste canister. Melvin survives, but transforms into a burned, deformed, bulky monster (the titular Toxic Avenger AKA Toxie). Toxie soon finds himself becoming a vigilante hero who only goes after bad guys including criminals, taco shop robbers, pimps, slavery ring leaders, a corrupt Mayor and, of course, the 4 bully serial killers. When the Mayor gets wind up Toxie (who could pose a threat to his criminal empire), he tries to get him killed. Can Toxie survive and clean up the streets? 

Directed by Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufman, the R-Rated “The Toxic Avenger” is Troma’s most successful movie and franchise. It’s a deranged superhero story that has somehow continued to endure 41 years later. It’s a simple B-Movie/Cult Movie that has everything fans of these genres look for- action, sex, over-the-top gore, cheesy comedy, romance (between Toxie and a blind woman named Sara) and a memorable hero in Toxie. The movie even throws in an environmental message for good measure (although it’s more of a plot device than anything). It’s trashy and it knows it as this movie (or any Troma movie for that matter) never takes itself seriously. In some ways, Kaufman’s “The Toxic Avenger” is ahead of its time as it came long before the superhero craze and the recent trend of adult superhero films like “Deadpool” (which Lloyd Kaufman is more than happy to point out). 

It should be noted that the practical effects and stunts are pretty impressive for a low-budget indie. There’s an exciting car chase and quite a bit of bloody violence (including a punched off nose, death by ice cream sundae, and smashed heads). Gore hounds will be in heaven with this one.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.85:1 2160p. How does it look? Defects, scratches, and some blurry cinematography (which can’t be helped on this transfer) are noticeable, but this is still an impressive 4K upgrade that boasts sharper image quality and brighter colors. 

Audio Track: 2.0 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? Fans can expect a satisfactory 2.0 track. 

Extras (On The Blu-ray Unless Noted):
* Blu-ray copy
* Lloyd Kaufman intro
* An entertaining commentary by Lloyd Kaufman (on the 4K and Blu-ray)
* A cast commentary featuring Gary Schneider, Dan Snow, and Robert Prichard (on the 4K and Blu-ray)
* Behind The Scenes And In Production Slideshows
* 5 separate interviews with Michael Herz, Dan Snow, Mitch Cohen, Jennifer Babtist and Robert Prichard.
* Trailers for “The Toxic Avenger,” “The Toxic Avenger 2,” “The Toxic Avenger 3,” “Citizen Toxie,” and “Return To Nuke ‘Em High.”
* “Mark Torgl’s Special Video”- The Melvin actor showcases props.
* “40 Years Of Troma”- A short 2 minute video of Troma highlights.

July 27, 2025 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | Lloyd Kaufman, The Toxic Avenger (1984) 4K UHD Review, The Toxic Avenger 4K Review, Toxie, Troma