The Toxic Avenger Collection 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review – Tasteless, Depraved & Unabashedly Troma

Tromaville, New Jersey has a monstrous new hero! The Toxic Avenger is born when meek mop boy Melvin (Mark Torgl, The First Turn-On) falls into a vat of toxic waste after being relentlessly bullied by the jerks in the health club where he works. Now Toxie is here to serve and protect the people of Tromaville from evildoers out to destroy him and the town!

For the first time in the history of mankind, all four Toxic Avenger films of the world famous franchise have been brought together into one Tromarific 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray package! This “TOXSET” (which you could hold in your hands if you hand over your money to buy these again) will prove to be an increasingly valuable collectible. Because Lloyd Kaufman, Toxie’s creator, is over 70 years old, he could die at any time. This will make this limited edition soar in value!

Quality Control Note: There have been some reports of the 4K UHD disc of The Toxic Avenger III: The Last Temptation of Toxie not playing correctly in some players. We did experience this ourselves, and our review is based on what we were able to see from that disc before it froze up. Troma is aware of this issue, and they issued the following statement:

Please make sure that your 4K Ultra HD player firmware is up to date. If your firmware is up to date and you do experience any difficulty, please contact customerservice@musicvideodistributors.com and we will provide a replacement disc for you at your request. 

For thoughts on The Toxic Avenger Collection, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/LyoMrkNRyV4?si=1hGFMEZewKpaVuI-&t=3774]

Video Quality

Troma Films presents The Toxic Avenger Collection with pretty impressive 2160p transfers for the four films in the series in their original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from brand new 4K scans and restorations of the Original Camera Negatives and graded in HDR10. There is a disclaimer that The Toxic Avenger II has a few short dialogue sequences that were previously cut from the OCN for pacing reasons, and these segments have been reinserted from the highest quality digital master. While we do not have much of a history with Troma, the general sense is that their releases are typically a bit underwhelming in the video department. Fans will probably be happy to know that these restorations were conducted by the good people at Vinegar Syndrome, who have a good reputation for treating films with care. Newcomers may want to keep their expectations in check for how good these films can look given the way they were shot, but longtime fans will likely be blown away by the results. 

Visually, these are pretty unappealing films, but this is also part of their charm. This series is disgusting and grimy, and it only makes sense that a 4K restoration would not clean up all of the print damage. There is a pretty consistent layer of fine nicks and scratches populating the series, most notably in the opening trio of features. It is a bit unusual to see such damage on 4K UHD, but it feels right for Troma. Where these releases thrive where past releases disappointed is in the technical execution of the discs. When it comes to the encoding, there are virtually no jarring digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such nuisances. 

This restoration is respectful to the original look of the film with the added resolution making elements seem more natural. You have to remember that this is a series that reuses footage like no other, and when you have clips spliced in from previous movies the duplicate footage has not been restored like we can watch with these discs. When you throw on Citizen Toxie and you see the footage from over a decade prior catching the audience up to speed, the degradation is startling. Outside of these baked-in limitations, the grain resolves favorably with no major fluctuations detected at any point. The uptick in detail and clarity here is tremendous, simply because the track is being presented with care and natural film grain intact. The textures on display in the grotesque makeup work, the dreamy costumes, and the environment are first-rate. The makeup effects blend naturally which brings the disturbing kills to the forefront with gruesome clarity. 

The tasteful application of HDR10 for expanded color output is a joy to witness even if this is not your average jaw-dropper. There is a slightly desaturated look to the films, but the new restorations feature some colors in the production design and articles of clothing that deliver something fetching. These discs handle the limited possibilities as well as you could possibly hope. Black levels are deeper than ever with nothing in the way of crush present, and highlights are virtually flawless with no evidence of blooming. If you want a spotless 4K UHD experience, you will likely be disappointed. If you want these films to look like the best versions of themselves possible, strap in for the ultimate presentation. 

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray set of the films comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio stereo track for each film which represents the series well for fans. One of the most prominent elements of the series is the memorable music that brings a very vibrant mood to the proceedings that is represented well in the mix. Dialogue comes through as clearly as the original recording will allow without being drowned out by the sound effects or score. The environments from Tromaville to Japan create a din of sound that emanates through to provide some unexpected ambient details. 

All of the various sounds in the mix seem accurately executed so that nothing ever feels off. There are moments of fighting that add some intensity without becoming a sonic swirl during the altercation. Everything is presented with good fidelity with only the occasional instance when sync slips ever so briefly. This presentation is largely free of any hiss or other age-related wear-and-tear, but once again this is Troma we are talking about so expect a little raggedness. Troma Films has done right by fans with the audio presentation. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided. 

Special Features

The Toxic Avenger

4K UHD

• New Introduction: A new minute-and-a-half introduction with Lloyd Kaufman is provided in which he discusses the new release of “TA in 4K” along with the legacy of the franchise. 

• Audio Commentaries: This disc offers a pair of commentary tracks with co-director and Troma co-founder Lloyd Kaufman and the cast members which humorously reflect on the production and legacy of the film. Kaufman rarely lets up with his colorful insights while the cast members leave a bit more dead air between memories of whatever is being shown on screen. There are some nice insights into the special effects work, the initial reactions to the films, the atmosphere on set, the background of some of the performers and more. 

• • Audio Commentary #1: Director Lloyd Kaufman

• • Audio Commentary #2: Cast Members Robert Prichard, Gary Schneider, and Dan Snow

Blu-Ray

• Introduction: A four-and-a-half-minute introduction different from the one on the new 4K UHD disc that features a humorous bit with Kaufman and a hospital-bound partner. 

• Audio Commentary #1: Director Lloyd Kaufman

• Audio Commentary #2: Cast Members Robert Prichard, Gary Schneider, and Dan Snow

• Interviews: A series of interviews are provided with the cast and the director/Troma co-founder which are as “run-and-gun” as you would expect from Troma. There are some fun insights into the production process, what it is like to work for Troma, how the series has impacted their lives and more. 

• • Jennifer Babtist (18:39)

• • Robert Prichard (2:37)

• • Mitch Cohen (8:41)

• • Dan Snow (4:38)

• • Michael Herz (15:23)

• Mark Torgl’s Special Video: A six-minute video with the original Melvin who shares some stories while showing off some props from the film. 

• 40 Years of Troma: A two-minute trailer of sorts for the company that shows snippets from some of their films along with some quotes about the legacy of Troma. 

• Behind The Scenes and In-Production Slideshow: A four-minute collection of stills is provided. 

• Trailers: This disc provides the three-minute trailer for The Toxic Avenger. There are also trailers provided for The Toxic Avenger II, The Toxic Avenger III, Citizen Toxie, and Return To Nuke ‘Em High. 

The Toxic Avenger II

4K UHD

• New Introduction: A new two-minute introduction with Lloyd Kaufman is provided in which he discusses the creation of this sequel which takes us to Japan. 

• Audio Commentary: Co-director and Troma co-founder Lloyd Kaufman humorously reflects on the production and legacy of the film, its history with the MPAA, the compromises that were made during production, and more. 

Blu-Ray

• Introduction: A three-minute introduction different from the one on the new 4K UHD disc that finds Kaufman in Copenhagen speaking about the film. 

• Audio Commentary: Director Lloyd Kaufman

• At Home with Toxie: A four-minute humorous piece that looks at the home life of Toxie on his palatial estate in New Jersey. 

• A Word From Villainess Lisa Gaye: A two-minute interview with the actress who discusses her history with Troma. 

• Toxie on Japanese TV: A three-minute Japanese news story is provided here without subtitles that features some cool behind-the-scenes footage. 

• Original DVD Intro: An additional 41-second archival introduction from Kaufman. 

• Radiation March: A minute-long movement piece is provided to raise awareness of the dangers of pollution. 

• 40 Years of Troma: A two-minute trailer of sorts for the company that shows snippets from some of their films along with some quotes about the legacy of Troma. 

• Trailers: This disc provides the nearly two-and-a-half-minute trailer for The Toxic Avenger II. There are also trailers provided for The Toxic Avenger, The Toxic Avenger III, Citizen Toxie, Troma’s War, Return To Nuke ‘Em High: Vol. 1, and Return To Nuke ‘Em High: Vol. 2. 

The Toxic Avenger III: The Last Temptation of Toxie

4K UHD

• New Introduction: A new minute-and-a-half introduction with Lloyd Kaufman is provided in which he discusses their dedication to staying independent and how this ties into the theme of this effort.  

• Audio Commentaries: This disc offers a pair of commentary tracks with co-director and Troma co-founder Lloyd Kaufman and the cast member Joe Fleishaker which humorously reflect on the production and legacy of the film. There are some insights into how this film came about from a surplus of footage shot for the previous film, the atmosphere of society at the time, the background of the performers, the experience of working on this film and with Troma in general, and much more. 

• • Audio Commentary #1: Director Lloyd Kaufman

• • Audio Commentary #2: Cast Member Joe Fleishaker

Blu-Ray

• Introduction: A nearly four-minute introduction different from the one on the new 4K UHD disc that finds Kaufman in Copenhagen speaking about the film. 

• Audio Commentary #1: Director Lloyd Kaufman

• Audio Commentary #2: Cast Member Joe Fleishaker

• TroMoMA: A 12-minute piece from 2014 at the Museum of Modern Art honoring Troma and their work with Return To Nuke ‘Em High. 

• 40 Years of Troma: A two-minute trailer of sorts for the company that shows snippets from some of their films along with some quotes about the legacy of Troma. 

• Make Your Own Damn Horror Film!: A nearly 12-minute featurette in which Kaufman visits the sets of the horror film Old 37 and interviews some of the crew members while imparting a small bit of indie filmmaking knowledge. 

• A Halloween Carol: A ten-minute take on A Christmas Carol with a Troma spin as Kaufman plays a Scrooge-like figure who refuses to put their films online. 

• Rabid Grannies – The Informercial: A two-minute promotional trailer for Rabid Grannies. 

• Radiation March: A minute-long movement piece is provided to raise awareness of the dangers of pollution.

• Trailers: This disc provides the three-minute trailer for The Toxic Avenger III. There are also trailers provided for The Toxic Avenger, The Toxic Avenger II, Citizen Toxie, Return To Nuke ‘Em High: Vol. 1, and Return To Nuke ‘Em High: Vol. 2. 

Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV

4K UHD

• New Introduction: A new two-minute introduction with Lloyd Kaufman is provided in which he discusses the themes of this effort.  

• Audio Commentaries: This disc offers a trio of commentary tracks with co-director and Troma co-founder Lloyd Kaufman, cast members, and editors who humorously reflect on the production and legacy of the film. There are some insights into how this film came about from audience demand, the inclusion of the World Trade Center in the opening footage, the background of the performers, the experience of working on this film and with Troma in general, and much more. 

• • Audio Commentary #1: Director Lloyd Kaufman

• • Audio Commentary #2: Cast Member Trent Haaga & Michael Budinger

• • Audio Commentary #3: Editors Gabriel Friedman and Sean McGrath

Blu-Ray

• Introduction: A three-minute introduction different from the one on the new 4K UHD disc that finds Kaufman at a convention. 

• Audio Commentary #1: Director Lloyd Kaufman
• Audio Commentary #2: Cast Member Trent Haaga & Michael Budinger
• Audio Commentary #3: Editors Gabriel Friedman and Sean McGrath

• Apocalypse Soon – The Making of Citizen Toxie: A massive 138-minute documentary that gives an unvarnished look at the trials and tribulations of making a Troma film including the strong personality of Lloyd Kaufman. 

• Troma’s Tribute to Lemmy: An eight-minute tribute to the work Lemmy has provided to Troma over the years 

• 40 Years Of Troma Entertainment: A two-minute trailer of sorts for the company that shows snippets from some of their films along with some quotes about the legacy of Troma. 

• Trailers: There are trailers provided for Return To Nuke ‘Em High: Vol. 1, Return To Nuke ‘Em High: Vol. 2, and Pro-Wrestlers vs. Zombies. 

Final Thoughts

The Toxic Avenger Collection collects the original four films that define what Troma means to most people. These films are completely tasteless, often offensive, and haphazardly cobbled together. The original film is by far the strongest when it comes to finding the right balance of pitch-black humor. The two follow-up sequels are ridiculous and not particularly good, but they have their charming moments. The final film simply makes you want to take a shower to wash it away. These are made for a very specific audience, and if you happen to be in that audience you do not need our convincing on the quality of these movies. What you need to know is that Troma Films has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray box set featuring a stellar A/V presentation and a decent amount of special features. Troma fans will be thrilled by this release – everyone else should sample before investing. Recommended (for fans)

The Toxic Avenger Collection will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray on October 24, 2023. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray. 

Disclaimer: Troma Films has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.