Much like its protagonist — a ghastly superhero who gains his powers after falling into a vat of chemical waste — “The Toxic Avenger” refuses to die.
Made for a paltry $500,000 in 1984, Troma’s cult classic spawned three direct sequels, a rock musical, two video games, a short-lived animated series and now a remake starring Peter Dinklage.
Given the eco-friendly, anti-pollution message at the improbable franchise’s core, perhaps its reemergence shouldn’t be surprising.
Those problems haven’t exactly been alleviated in the intervening decades, with rising sea levels and melting glaciers acting as a kind of real-world Bat Signal.In some ways, remakes of this sort have more to live up to than updated versions of massively successful blockbusters do.
The self-selecting audience of a cult classic like “Toxic Avenger” may not be large, but it is fiercely devoted.
Actor-turned-filmmaker Macon Blair, who earned acclaim for his roles in “Blue Ruin…
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