The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie
The Toxic Avenger III: The Last Temptation of Toxie is a 1989 American superhero comedy splatter film and the third installment of The Toxic Avenger franchise. It was directed by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz.
The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie | |
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![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Lloyd Kaufman Michael Herz |
Written by | Lloyd Kaufman Michael Herz |
Produced by | Lloyd Kaufman Michael Herz |
Starring |
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Cinematography | James London |
Edited by | Michael Schweitzer |
Music by | Christopher De Marco |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Troma Entertainment |
Release date |
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Running time | 102 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $500,000 |
Box office | $363,561 |
The title is a parody of the 1988 film The Last Temptation of Christ.
Plot
At the Tromaville Video Store, a band of Apocalypse Inc. goons decides to hold everyone hostage and demand that the people inside the store begin watching their films rather than the likes of MGM, Warner Bros., and even Troma movies. After killing one video store customer, the goons shoot up the place. However, Melvin Junko (Jon Altamura), also known as the Toxic Avenger arrives. Posing at first as a life-size cardboard cutout of himself, Toxie is able to kill all the goons in various gruesome fashions including disembowelment, smashing one goon's face into a video eraser, and sticking another one's arm through a VCR, destroying it in the process before decapitating him. Declaring he is back, Toxie reveals the flashback story of how he had worked for the forces of evil.
It all began with his saving Tromaville from the Dark Rider and Apocalypse Inc.'s plot. Things have become peaceful again in Tromaville, putting Toxie into depression as he enjoying fighting crime but now cannot even do that. Failing at normal jobs from being an auto mechanic and babysitter, Toxie is depressed. When he learns Claire, his blind girlfriend may be able to see again thanks to a new groundbreaking surgery, they are elated. That is until Toxie tells Claire that it will cost $347,000 to get the surgery. However, there is a job opportunity and it would involve Toxie serving as a spokesman for none other than Apocalypse Inc., the New York-based chemical company he defeated before. Toxie will be paid enough for Claire's surgery and he accepts, signing the contract in his own blood. Claire successfully has her surgery and for the first time, she sees Toxie and falls even more in love with him.
However, as Apocalypse Inc. comes in to heavily promote their chemicals, the people of Tromaville are shocked to see that their hero, The Toxic Avenger, is agreeing with Apocalypse. Toxie's ego has inflated to a point where he has become a yuppie. Claire, now with her sight, sees what has transpired and unsuccessfully confronts Toxie. When Toxie sees a group of kids knocking down a poster of him and kicking it, it causes Toxie to finally realize what has happened. Toxie, through thinking about the day he signed the contract, remembers a saying at church, which finally makes him see the light of day. Deciding to once again clean up Tromaville, he earns the trust of the people of Tromaville once again and the flashback is over, bringing the story back to the video store.
However, he now faces against the Chairman, who finally reveals his true identity. The Chairman is actually the Devil himself, a green-skinned demon who challenges Toxie to a game involving his favorite video game "The Five Levels of Doom".
The first level, Earth, involves Toxie getting sucked into the ground. However, when he is able to get his head out of the ground, Mona Malfaire offers an Apocalypse thug to decapitate Toxie with a mower but it proves to be unsuccessful.
The second level, Fire, has both Toxie and the Devil set on fire. Toxie is saved by some Tromaville residents, who douse him with water. When the Devil is still on fire and laughing hysterically, Toxie resorts to urinating on the Devil, extinguishing the flames.
The third level, Wind, has the Devil kidnap the kids of Tromaville and sends them to the nearest mountain by bus and unleashing strong winds that risk putting the bus over the mountain. Toxie arrives at the cliff and has the kids escape via the back door. Malfaire, in an attempt to shoot down Toxie and the kids, is crushed by the bus when it falls down the cliff.
The fourth level, Water, has Toxie on the hood of the repaired bus driven by the Devil and put into a massive puddle in an attempt to drown him. However, Toxie, using a Sumo trick he learned in Japan, is able to escape.
However, the Devil unleashes the final level, in which he transforms the Toxic Avenger back into Little Melvin (Michael J. Kaplan), who once again becomes the victim of bullying, now by Apocalypse Inc. When Claire attempts to intervene, she is once again rendered blind. While Melvin is getting picked on, Claire returns home and finds the contract. She manages to find an escape clause that will allow termination by an act of God. An angel, disguised as a messenger, arrives and gives Melvin a scroll. It begins to rain and Melvin is transformed back into the Toxic Avenger and Claire is able to once again see.
Having had enough, Melvin defeats the Devil, ripping his skin off to expose rats and bugs all over his carcass. He decapitates the Devil and throws his head, which is sent to Tokyo where the news reporter from the previous film demonstrates a new hair growth formula to a customer. When the Devil's head lands on the customer, the news reporter is elated and begins to spray more while the customer screams in shock.
Having defeated Apocalypse Inc. once and for all, Melvin and Claire celebrate by getting married and are now "monster and wife".
Cast
- John Altamura as The Toxic Avenger / Melvin Junko, a janitor that was mutated into a deformed superhero.
- Ron Fazio as the voice of The Toxic Avenger
- Ron Fazio also portrays an Apocalypse Inc. Executive
- Michael J. Kaplan as "Little" Melvin Junko
- Ron Fazio as the voice of The Toxic Avenger
- Phoebe Legere as Claire, the blind girlfriend of Claire.
- Rick Collins as Apocalypse Inc. Chairman / The Devil, the head of Apocalypse Inc.
- Lisa Gaye as Mona Malfaire, the right-hand woman of the Apocalypse Inc. Chairman
- Jessica Dublin as Mrs. Junko, the mother of Melvin.
- Dan Snow as Cigar Face, a gangster who allies with Apocalypse Inc.
- Paul Borghese as Lou Sipher
- Paul Borghese also portrays an Apocalypse Inc. executive
- Fernando Antonio, Sylvester Covin, William Decker, Joe Fleishaker, Mark Fucile, Marc Allen Ginsberg, Sal Lioni, Doug McDonald, Benny Nieves, Kariim Ratcliff, Michael Jai White, Susan Whitty, and Jeremiah Yates as Apocalypse Inc. executives
Production
The film was made along with The Toxic Avenger Part II as Lloyd Kaufman made a four-hour cut, which resulted in both Part II and this film. Mark Torgl was asked to come back as Melvin for the "final level of Doom" sequence. Due to pay issues, ultimately declined to return and was replaced by Michael J. Kaplan. However, Torgl would return to the role in Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV.
Release
Home media
The film was later re-released as part of the 'Tox Box' DVD set and the 'Complete Toxic Avenger' 7-disc DVD set.
Reception
Critical response
The film gained many negative reviews.