After the success of The Toxic Avenger and Class of Nuke ‘Em High, Troma became a household name. With two back-to-back hits, Lloyd Kaufman decided that his next project would be an ambitious one. The 1980s saw a rise in action films, specifically what Kaufman referred to as “movies that glorified warfare”. Films like Rambo: First Blood Part II, Commando, and Red Dawn were dominating the box office at the time. This, combined with what Kaufman saw as the Reagan administration making efforts to glorify war and making Americans favor violence. This is mind, Kaufman and his partner Michael Herz put together a budget of $3 million, their largest to date. The two set out to make their own action-packed war film, but with some added Troma touches and social commentary. Also known as 1,000 Ways to Die, Troma’s War was released to theaters in late 1988.
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Synopsis
Following a plane crash onto a seemingly deserted island, a group of survivors struggles to assess their situation. They find some armed soldiers on the island, only it turns out the soldiers are part of a terrorist group. Two of the passengers, Vietnam veteran Parker (Michael Ryder) and Taylor (Sean Bowen), try leading the group to safety. Unfortunately, some of the passengers get kidnapped and killed by the terrorists, prompting the survivors to fight back. With help from Englishman Marshall (Steven Crossley), they acquire some weapons and launch a counteroffensive against the terrorists. Soon, it’s revealed that they plan to invade America, first by creating an AIDS epidemic and destroying American from within. With time running out, the survivors must band together to stop the terrorists from succeeding in their invasion of America. Will our heroes succeed, or is America doomed in winning Troma’s War?
Review
Lloyd Kaufman considers Troma’s War to be his best film, and it’s fairly easy to see why. With its $3 million budget, it’s the closest to a Hollywood-esque blockbuster you’d ever expect from a Troma film. There’s plenty of stunts, shootouts, and explosions to rival even what Cannon was producing at the time. At the same time, there are some Troma touches, such as copious amounts of nudity, blood, and politically incorrect humor. That said, this is a very atypical Troma film since it doesn’t have much of the downright insanity from before. The Toxic Avenger and Class of Nuke ‘Em High embraced their campy nature and went as over-the-top as possible. Troma’s War, however, plays more like a straight action film with occasionally heartfelt moments and some absurdly comedic scenes. While it’s admirable they tried stepping outside their comfort zone, some fans may not appreciate the change.
Acting-wise, everyone does a fair job playing it straight, though they’re not nearly as exaggerated as in past Troma movies. Sean Bowen makes for a fine charismatic lead, though he sometimes comes off slightly misogynistic, especially towards his love interest. Speaking of, Carolyn Beauchamp has some decent chemistry with Bowen and is tough in her own right. Michael Ryder (real name Rick Washburn) is clearly having fun as the manic veteran who maybe enjoys killing too much. Steven Crossley is very cool and suave, almost as if he’s playing James Bond, which might not be far off. Future Troma veterans Rick Collins, Jessica Dublin, and Joe Fleishaker make their Troma debuts here, and each has fun moments. While it takes time to get going, the shootout sequences, especially the climax, are the highlight of the film. Overall, Troma’s War isn’t what you might expect, but maybe that’s a good thing.
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