[HorrorScience] The Toxic Avenger 2 (1989)

Reading time: 5 minutes

Qualification

Toxic Avenger Part II

Year

1989

Duration

96 minutes

Director

Lloyd Kaufman, Michael Herz

Distribution

Ron Fazio, John Altamura, Phoebe Legere, Rick Collins, Lisa Gaye, Rikiya Yasuoka, Mayako Katsuragi, Tsutomu Sekine, Jessica Dublin, Jack Cooper, Michae Jai White, Dan Snow

Script

Ron Fazio, John Altamura, Phoebe Legere, Rick Collins, Lisa Gaye, Rikiya Yasuoka, Mayako Katsuragi, Tsutomu Sekine, Jessica Dublin, Jack Cooper, Michae Jai White, Dan Snow

Not long ago I commented in this section The Toxic Avenger, flagship of the longest-running independent film company of the moment: Troma Entertainment.

The Toxic Avenger He quickly became Troma's mascot and his success was such that they made comics, animated series and even video games.

[HorrorScience] The Toxic Avenger 2 (1989) — Toxie in the animated series

As strange as it may seem, Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz (Troma bosses) took 5 years to continue the saga of their star character, although they did it twice, since the second and third parts were released in the same year.

This comment focuses on Toxic Avenger Part II, known in Spanish as The Toxic Avenger 2.

After having eliminated all the crime in Tromaville, the Toxic Avenger feels empty and useless despite helping his partner at a charity that helps the blind.

One day, the evil corporation Apocalypse Inc decides to raze the place and trick Toxie into traveling to Japan to try to get it out of their way once and for all. The reason that brings Toxie to the land of the rising sun is the search for his father, who abandoned him and his mother years ago.

Will Toxie be able to find his father? What will happen to Tromaville being at the mercy of Apocalypse Inc?

The Toxic Avenger 2 It is a film very similar to its first part. However, everything that could be interpreted as good and fresh in that one, in this one does not have as much merit or meaning.

Let me explain, the film continues its tone of parody, with violence, humor and entertainment of more or less quality. However everything seems to be less worked than in the first. Toxie is no longer a victim, he is a boring hero, the enemies are much more stereotypical and less sadistic (in fact they define themselves as comic book enemies and that is what they look like) and the humorous and violent scenes continue to exist but with a constant drop in quality. In fact, it is as if They would not have found the balance between both things and they simply added scenes for the sake of adding, making some scenes are so long that it seems they have been lengthened on purpose to increase the length of the film and arrive within an hour and a half.

That the movie takes place in Japan is something that I consider totally random for the character's story, but at the same time brings some freshness for the viewer, and many of the Japanese artists put a lot of effort into it (even if it's exaggerating). In general, the Japanese touch makes this film unique in the saga (and adds oriental nudity), although as I have already said, it is completely forced in terms of plot.

I will not deny that the movie is funny at times, but it is only recommended for those who are fans of the Toxic Avenger and still they will realize that there is a step back from the first part in every way (except the soundtrack, because the main theme of this movie is great).

I know that the filming and editing of the film had many unforeseen events and that always affects the final quality, but that also happens in many of Troma's films, so I don't see any justification for it being so improvable in almost everything.

Curiosities about the film:

Lloyd Kaufman shot more than 4 hours of film, which was a huge expense for the company and a problem when editing it. Eventually that footage was split up and used to create two different films (The Toxic Avenger 2 and Toxic Avenger 3), thus leaving the story modified and cut between the two
Toxie's girlfriend changes her name from the first movie. Kaufman says he doesn't remember why.
One of Toxie's enemies who is dressed as Kabuki was the inspiration to create another Troma character: Sergeant Kabukiman.
The film features Go Nagai, creator of mangas as important as Mazinger Z either devilman.