Episode 336: 'Red Sonja' (2025)/ 'The Toxic Avenger' (2025)

Highlander is a weird franchise. It seemed like a big deal in the 80s. Big enough to warrant a couple of sequels and a TV series that lasted a few seasons. It also has one of the most quotable lines in cinema history. Yet, it is also incredibly underrated. Which makes some sense considering all that came out of that decade. We also talk about directors who have their heads up their asses.

Arnold Schwarzenegger – whose credits include Junior and The Expendables 3 – has called Red Sonja the worst film he has ever made. That is a matter of personal opinion, but there is no denying the Brigette Nielsen vehicle is pretty bad. Add in the fact that this adaptation has been languishing in developmental hell for over a decade, and it seems like a huge risk.

The 2025 version of Red Sonja manages to work because it knows its audience. It is a straightforward sword and sorcery flick that is sexy enough to play to that audience, but modern enough to not exploit Matilda Lutz. The performances are fantastic and the production looks great. There are some missteps along the way, but it is a very good Red Sonja adaptation.

How do you make a re-imagining for The Toxic Avenger? The original idea was to go the family friendly route? But is that what fans really want to see? You also don't want to go the make jokes out of sexually assaulting a blind woman direction either since nobody wants to see that. Is there a middle ground when it comes to Troma?

Thankfully, the 2025 version of The Toxic Avenger manages to figure it out. It is crude and disgusting fun that manages to offend without taking thinks too far. Sure, there is a lot of violence, and it definitely will not be for everyone, but fans of the source material will love what they did with the latest installment.

Adventures in Movies! is a part of the Morbidly Beautiful Podcast Network. Morbidly Beautiful is your one stop shop for all your horror needs. From the latest news and reviews to interviews and old favorites, it can be found at Morbidly Beautiful.

Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror. You can reach us personally or on Twitter @AdventuresinMo1.

Music in the background from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com