Very weird, extremely messy, but surprisingly heartfelt, Macon Blair’s The Toxic Avenger is quite the trip. It won’t be for everyone though—and that’s kind of the point. True to its “splatter” roots, the film embraces the outrageous gore, grotesque visuals, and oddball spirit that made the ’80s original a cult hit (thankfully swerving far away from the sanitized animated spin-off). This is a strange hero with a strange look, and Blair wisely leans into that with an equally strange presentation. What grounds the chaos, though, is an unexpectedly touching father–son story. Peter Dinklage turns in a sincere, soulful performance beneath layers of gruesome green prosthetics, while Jacob Tremblay adds heart as the most relatable member of this misfit ensemble. Kevin Bacon gleefully chews the scenery in every scene he’s in, and Elijah Wood is nearly unrecognizable in his “hair” (or lack thereof) role. The blood, goo, and brutally over-the-top action mostly land, but the satire is less consistent. While the film skewers superhero tropes (and horror clichés), the humor sometimes feels more heavy-handed than sharp. Still, the sheer commitment to bloody carnage and grotesque fun can’t be denied. If you’re craving some sludge, brutal vengeance, and B-movie mayhem, The Toxic Avenger delivers—by the bucketful.