THE TOXIC AVENGER II

1989

Directed by Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufman

A.K.A. A Toxie Kamakazi!

Plot Since the debacle with the corrupt mayor, Toxie has been able to turn Tromaville around to become a happy, friendly town. Claire (nee Sara, changed for no apparent reason) now runs the local center for the blind, with Toxie helping when and where it's possible. The Tromavillians have become happier people, with smiles everywhere and dancing in the street. It's all just so...dull. Especially for Toxie, who feels most alive crushing a ne'er-do-well's skull between his fists. What's a hideously deformed creature of super-human size and strength to do? As timing would have it, at that moment Apocalypse Inc., an evil mega-conglomerate corporation the likes of which are unheard of outside of California (and possibly Florida) decides to become bent on taking Tromaville as their very own. Also they're smart enough to realize that first they have to take out Toxie. They attempt to do so by blowing up the center for the blind, with Toxie inside. They're not smart enough, however, to realize just how tough Toxie really is, and they only succeed at blowing up the rest of the blind folk (except for Claire, who was outside at the time). Oops. The next plan is to send as many thugs as possible at him, including a dog-man, a midget, and Michael Jai White, best known for his role in the film "Spawn". Toxie easily mauls all of them, with the exception of White, who had to leave because he was late for his piano lesson. Apocalypse Inc. goes running back to New York with their tails between their legs to form a revenge plan, and Toie goes on wondering why he's only happy beating crooks' brains in. Apocalypse Inc.'s CEO berates his lackies for their incompetence and demands an idea. The one female member of the board (IMDB claims her name to be "Malfaire", but I'm hardpressed to find it spoken, and I also don't believe that the army of flunkies standing around in the background are actual board-members) has a plan. First off, she knows of a Japanese discovery of an anti-Tromaton substance that may very well counteract Toxie's radioactive parts, turning him back into little Melvin Junko (nee Furd). Also, in order to coax him to Japan, Apocalypse Inc has secretly employed Toxie's shrink, and they have her convince him that he needs to seek out his long-lost father, who she's conveniantly located living in Tokyo. So Toxie bids his girlfriend and mother farewell and heads to Japan the fastest way he knows how: Wind surfing! It doesn't take long for Toxie to find trouble in Tokyo, however, and he ends up saving a girl, Masami, from a band of thugs. In return, she promieses to help him find Poppa Junko. Meanwhile, back in Tromaville, Apocalypse Inc's CEO and his cronies begin looting, plundering, and callously killing the town. Tromavillians no longer smile at each other as they pass. Dancing is forbidden. Life just isn't the same without Toxie around. And Toxie isn't the same without Tromaville. Masami has made him up to fit in with the crowd in Japan by giving him a suit, toupee, and buisiness cards. Eventually their efforts pay off and business cards. Eventually their efforts pay off, and Toxie meets his father. He's the Big Mac around these parts. He's the Big Cheese. You might say he's the Big Mac with Cheese. He also happens to be a crime boss. Guess he'd consider his boy Melvin a failure, what with being a hideously deformed creature of super-human size and strength, fighting for truth, justice, and the American way. And so, the prerequisite battle between Toxie and a bunch of ninjas and other Japanese monsters (including the beloved fish-boy! ) commences, with Toxie of course coming out on top, leading to a square-off between Toxie and his father, who just so happens to be the guy who invented the anti-tromaton substance for Apocalypse Inc! Will Toxie be forced to kill his own father? WIll he succumb to the Anti-Tromatons? Will Apocalypse Inc win over Tromaville? You'll just have to watch the darn thing yourself.

Rating I give The Toxic Avenger II: Four Rotting Shambling Corpses out of Five. By this point, Troma had fully hit its stride, and realized that even though their flicks had monsters and gore, they were still making comedies, like back when they started. This film has the same tone as the original film, yet has far more competent special effects, and more importantly, a better sense of humor. And if you're confused about the suddeness of the ending when you watch the film, you won't be alone. Originally, the script was a great deal longer, and the original cut of the film was at about 4 hours, with a lot more plot points going on. It wasn't realized by Troma until they took the film to the editing room for the first time. Not wanting to cut out so much great footage from the film, co-creator Lloyd Kaufman had an epiphany: Make two movies out of the one. The rest of the plot, wherein Toxie beats Apocalypse Inc, and fights with the Devil himself were delegated to the soon-to-be reviewed Toxic Avenger III: The Last Temptation of Toxie!

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