Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD

I don't know what's stranger, the film or how the film came to be.

Apparently this was an offshoot of a character in Toxic Avenger Part 2, and Lloyd being Lloyd made a joke about commiting to a kabuki character film when, I shit you not, word got spread and Namco yes the video game Namco approached Troma with a $1.5 million dollar budget to make a family friendly media icon. From the way Lloyd wrote about it he seemed rather disappointed he didn't commit to going full Troma or full kid friendly and kinda bounced back and forth. Me however? This is another great movie that I was so happy to have watched! I had a blast reveling in the ludicrous story of New York cop Harry Griswold getting entangled in a murder case and being imbued with magic powers, taking on an almost superhero persona of Kabukiman and going after a rich suit who orchestrated the killing. What I think helps tether it down to where it's not so outrageously stupid you can't enjoy it is Rick Gianasi as Harry, he has this Jack Burton quality to how he plays Harry a reasonable guy who has experienced some very unreasonable things, and somehow maintains dignity in that costume. Assisting him in learning his capabilities is Lotus played by Susan Byun who is just as amazing if not more so than Rick, she's a badass and just cracks me the hell up! Even the villain and his motley crew of henchmen are pretty entertaining, it's like everyone knew precisely what kind of movie this is and gauged their performances just right. That is some damn credit to the director and actors, cause while I undoubtedly love the movie I don't know if I could ever pull off acting in it. In a strange sense it nearly has this Power Rangers feel to it, and admittedly yes the tokusatsu sentai thing was very much around in 1990 but I don't think it had any influence on the production. It just feeeels like it, they even do the low angle front flip shot which is synonymous with that genre which makes me just enjoy it all the more. I know Troma worked very closely with a consultant as to not sabotage the film with offending japanese audiences so the over the top humor with the powers of Kabukiman I feel work just fine in the picture. It's a very solid production all around, very good directing around New York City, great cast as far as I'm concerned, the action is sparse but fun and memorable regardless, the humor is spot on for me and scratches that parody style Troma incorporates, and it's another home run for me this week! I feel confident in saying Troma's attitudes toward filmmaking is don't take shit from anyone only give shits, because they do not slack off. They make it work with what they can do and that's a pretty affirming stance with independent filmmakers everywhere. Strong recommendation once more, 4 stars, 8/10! One more for you from the 90s next time.

The Toxic Avenger

Greetings from Tromaville!

It's time. Granted it hasn't been on my list for a long time but the motion pictures of Troma have grabbed my interest enough to where I'm gonna review a good selection throughout the decades starting with the movie that truly made Troma what it is today. The Toxic Avenger is a great movie, I have no qualms saying that. For a relatively low budget movie about a dweeby janitor getting covered in toxic waste and mutating into basically a superhero (albeit a bloodsoaked one), it's hard to deny it's charm and more so the comedy. It might just be the most outrageous, over the top, completely unserious movie I have ever laid eyes on to the point where the absurdity is in excess. You could be the most prudish, stick up your ass, fucking square² person on the face of the earth and you couldn't take this seriously! You don't even need a certain sense of humor to get it, you just need A sense of humor to get it! I was pretty invested not too far from the opening shot and credit to where it's due on the production side of things they did make this as good as they could, and I read Lloyd's book All I Need To Know About Filmmaking I Learned From The Toxic Avenger and it sounds like a shoestring crew of very talented people contributing as much as they can. The effects are great and delightfully gory, the stunts are not too flashy but done very well, and the overall cinematography I felt was just right for this movie. It's definitely one of the most 80s movies I've seen in pure aesthetic choices but what I truly appreciated was the stances the film took on real life issues, damning landfills and improper waste management, showing elected officials who have no interest in the people they serve, and they even take a jab at the health craze going on around the mid 80s. Lloyd is a wacky guy but the man is well read and forward thinking about issues and combine that with Michael Herz booksmarts on running the production company and sharing the same views meant there was going to be more to this than just a monster movie. Toxie is shaping up to be my role model after this movie, you'll think I'm cracked out a bit saying this but this is a very uplifting movie, sure it's got headcrushing and guts plus some of the most hilariously ludicrous crimes but it has definite heart. Simple acts of kindness from Toxie while also cleaning the streets of scumbags speaks to me. I'd happily walk a little old lady across the street before dashing some child prostituting asshole's grey matter out on the pavement. There's even a funny and cute romance with him and a blind girl named Sara, I'm rooting for that until the day I die! Definitely a movie meant to be watched late night with likeminded friends and junk food aplenty. It's an odd piece of cinematic history but is a lot more than most anybody would ever give it credit for. Super strong recommendation from me, 4 stars easily, 8.5/10!