Imagine if Toxie met Annabelle, though (CREDIT: Troma Entertainment/Screenshot; Warner Bros./Screenshot)

The Toxic Avenger Unrated

Starring: Peter Dinklage, Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige, Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood, Sarah Niles, Julia Davis

Director: Macon Blair

Running Time: 103 Minutes

Rating: Unrated

Release Date: August 29, 2025 (Theaters)

The Conjuring: Last Rites

Starring: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Mia Tomlinson, Ben Hardy, Steve Coulter, Rebecca Calder, Elliot Cowan, Kíla Lord Cassidy, Beau Gadsdon, Molly Cartwright, Tilly Walker, Peter Wright, Kate Fahy

Director: Michael Chaves

Running Time: 135 Minutes

Rating: R

Release Date: September 5, 2025 (Theaters)

I’ve been thinking a lot about legacies lately. Or at least I’ve been thinking a moderate amount about the legacies of the Conjuring and Toxic Avenger franchises, seeing as I recently saw their most recent entries.

If we take The Conjuring: Last Rites at face value, then its legacy will be the more widespread acceptance of the paranormal. To which I must say: eh, that’s a little dicey. You can enjoy these movies while still being skeptical about the stories behind them. In fact, I would argue that’s preferable. Instead, let’s have their legacy be their persistently passionate love stories.

As for the reimagined rendition of The Toxic Avenger (aka The Toxic Avenger Unrated), the legacy is going to have to be the power of exposure therapy. If you, like me, saw the original Troma adventures of Toxie before you were old enough to jump into toxic waste yourself, chances are you found them profoundly disgusting (but also can’t-look-away compelling). This new Peter Dinklage-starring version certainly doesn’t back away from the splatter, but I for one found it totally easy on the eyes, and stomach. Some things change (movie buffs growing up), while some things stay the same (Toxie’s heroism).

Grades:
The Toxic Avenger Unrated: 22 Killer Nutz out of 29 ½ Brooms
The Conjuring: Last Rites: 2 ½ Mirrors out of 4 Perms