(1984) ***1/2
Schlubby Melvin is the mop boy at the Tromaville health club. He spends his days ridiculed by dopey jocks and their girlfriends, but he's perfectly happy... until the day he unintentionally pisses them off, and the jocks plot revenge. The revenge scheme leads to Melvin falling into an open barrel of toxic waste, and he eventually transforms into a powerful but good-hearted monster. Will Melvin rid the town of evil and corruption? Will he get the girl? Will there be an opening for a sequel? You all know the answers already.
I'm guessing this is the best Troma film ever made, and I must admit I enjoyed it thoroughly, despite (or because of, I can't tell) the horrific acting, cheesy dialogue, sophomoric humor, and extravagant gore. The movie gets major points for the pipe-in-the-ass factor, and to my great surprise I found it entertaining throughout. However, I can't go any higher than 3 and 1/2 stars. Just can't do it. Hopefully HandsomeStan (who gave it 5 stars) is too busy to notice this review until it's buried in an avalanche of subsequently-posted reviews, and my heresy will go unnoticed. So post away, folks, and help me hide this one!
11 comments:
i was amused by your 3.5 star/5 star point. when it comes to B-movies, if they're good ones, seems like it's they're either one or the other. they're never 4's. like it's either just "great, fun, worth watching," or if it's fun enough, it's "essential viewing."
i'm thinking specifically of Re-Animator.
re-animator is arriving tomorrow!
Re-Animator is light years ahead of Toxic Avenger in my opinion. I like Toxic Avengers (especially when the kid's head gets flattened) and I've seen it probably a dozen times but I'd probably give it ***. As I recall, JPX HATES this movie.
I'm happy to see my Pipe In The Ass Factor referenced again!
Great, great, great!! You have no idea how happy I am to see you are enjoying the sideways humor of Troma. Way to go AC!
You can't hide from me, AC.
I'm just simply happy that you remembered my review! I recall being particularly fired up about the Fat Mayor.
Three stars is a perfectly understandable estimate. I think my extra two stars stemmed from the "first time" factor in terms of outrageous gore that I was witnessing.
Much like the film 2010, we all have fond memories of things that we saw for the first time in our formative youth.
* Jordan storms in *
until we go back to watch (Remo Williams) as an adult and realize kids will watch any damn thing in the world.
In that vein, The Goonies is barely watchable as an adult. A bunch of kids, all yelling at each other at the same time for two hours. Really grates on the ears.
But then, Kerri Green wears a miniskirt, so...
and also martha plimpton never looked better
Yeah, I saw The Goonies for the first time like five years ago and I was pretty horrified.
I'd probably give Toxie three stars, but Re-Animator is way better, no question. Troma movies are less sophisticated on a DNA level.
Nice review, AC! I haven't seen any Troma films. Maybe I'll check this one out, sounds interesting enough.
I haven't seen the Gooniez in who knows how long. I can't even imagine how unwatchable it is. I could never stand Sloth. He's just too gross...almost as bad as Vince Vaughn.
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