Directed By Dan Berk and Robert Olsen

Starring – Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson

The Plot – When the woman (Midthunder) of his dreams is kidnapped, Nathan Caine (Quaid), the man incapable of feeling physical pain, turns his rare condition into an unexpected advantage in the fight to rescue her.

Rated R for strong bloody violence, grisly images, and adult language throughout.

Novocaine | Official Trailer (2025 Movie) – Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder

POSITIVES

This is a film that undeniably embraces the fun and freneticism factors of its compelling gimmick, with bone-peeling gruesomeness and radiantly charismatic turns from its charming ensemble that help to make this such an infectiously rampant experience. On the violence, considering this is the age of expressionism from films, with regards to brutality, Berk and Olsen continuously feel like they have to up the ante in squeamishly shocking the audience, and after an opening act that tepidly touches the surface for what these physical confrontations seem capable of, the film quickly flies off of the rails during a far-superior second half, with revolting special effects, practical and artificial, that pit our protagonist through the proverbial ringer, which is all the more shocking when you consider that he isn’t able to feel any of it, as a result of his birthed-condition. This aspect would normally cut the film’s physical conflicts of any compelling suspense or drama from the characters we invest so firmly in, however just because Quaid isn’t able to feel things, doesn’t make them any less jarring or revolting to experience, while in the depths of such devastatingly impactful direction, and while the imagery could certainly be considered shock factors to the movie’s prominence, the free and unflinching nature with their depiction keeps them from ever getting old, allowing this movie to take full advantage of its sought-after R-rating, all the while solidifying just how deep his love persists for a woman who he is quite literally risking everything to rescue. On that aspect, the movie’s romance is also believably touching and meaningful for what the script asks from it, particularly in the social outcasts of both of these characters, which is attained by accentuating their personal flaws in order to find a rare but permeating attraction between them. This doesn’t necessarily outline either of them as freaks, but essentially the missing piece to the other’s prominence, and with seamless chemistry between Quaid and Midthunder unlocking something warm and dimensional for each of their portrayals, the audience understand almost immediately how legitimately vital that their bond is for the both of them, especially considering Quaid and Midthunder never cave under the pressure of juggling so many genres and sharp contrasts to the movie’s tone. Quaid continues to exude everyman charms, but here drives and defines his performance by the secret that he holds over his dangerous adversaries, with intentionally wooden responses and underlining sarcasm to his character’s trivial mortality that felt so audacious when balanced by stomach-churning visuals that contort and condemn his many limbs. Amber Midthunder is also a breath of fresh air, this time churning out emotional magnetism and fiery tenacity for her various deliveries, which we never got the chance to experience in 2022’s “Prey”. With her character’s own aforementioned demons, Amber brilliantly taps into complexities in ideals not typically devoted to supporting love interests within action comedies, and while she settles for a bit of the damsel in distress role for much of the movie’s 105-minute runtime, she’s still able to bounce successfully off of every character she comes into contact with, and I couldn’t get enough of her X-factor appeal that helped maintain the movie’s momentum, even when the story occasionally deviates away from Quaid. For that story, it’s full of conventional character outlines and story beats that feel lifted from any one to five films of the genre, but there are a couple of rewarding twists scattered sporadically that help to redefine its set of circumstances, especially within the love dynamic between these two people that the objective wouldn’t be half as compelling without. If this isn’t enough, the pacing of the storytelling for the first two acts does remain firmly persistent throughout, even with a surprisingly ample amount of developments that help to prolong the conflict. The best of these definitely pertains to a friend of Nathan’s, which the movie’s comedy finally finds its footing when they evolve from being a voice to a supportive accomplice, and though the humor plays such a small part to the overall experience, it’s more of that reminder of the good time had by an engagement that refuses to ever take itself too seriously, an aspect that many action comedies could take example from, these days.

NEGATIVES

As previously mentioned, the script takes a little longer than necessary to find its proper footing, particularly as its riding the waves of conventionalism in everything from cliche cops continuously being hot on Nathan’s trail, flat scripted humor to any gag outside of Nathan’s lack of vulnerability, or a blandly forgettable antagonist who is given a care-free personality, in order to flesh out something interesting about him. It doesn’t exactly work, and if not for a second act twist that impacts the foundation of every character involved in the conflict, then there would’ve been nothing about him that could’ve closely measured up as even a temporary threat to Nathan, in turn dramatically underscoring the magnitude of the predicament, whose execution sets it on a familiar path to movies like “Crank” or any 80’s action caper involving a man seeking to rescue the love of his life. On top of this, I previously commended the movie’s special effects, but didn’t say much about the action, and that’s because it’s choreographed and documented with a lack of stylistic energy and dramatic intensity that could’ve pay these physical conflicts off exceptionally, primarily in the tease of artistic merit during one key sequence involving camera tilting that I wish other sequences used to warrant some kind of substance to moments that are otherwise cloaked in shock horror gore. Part of me can understand making Nathan feel as grounded and inexperienced with confrontation as anyone, and the need to show him off as quickly cunning as possible would squander this simplicity, but there are some real fascinating backdrops and set pieces that I feel really could’ve popped with more prestige of the lens, but it simply never comes to fruition, and “Novocaine” never fully renders or rivets the potential of its devastating action because of it, instead opting for shock visuals that aren’t able to celebrate any kind of technique to their capture. Finally, while most of the film transitions and advances the storytelling seamlessly with impeccable pacing, the third act climax of the movie, within the movie’s final twenty-five minutes, screeched to a grinding halt, leaving the resolution searching for a proper means of escape, as the character’s continued to stack obstacles like a pile of dirty dishes. While I admire the fight in these characters that keeps them from being defeated so easily, the extensive stacking of various power shifts and one long-winded epilogue make it persist for a bit longer than I would’ve preferred, leaving it attempting to tie up every loose end, regardless of how little it adds to the film’s defining factors.

OVERALL
“Novocaine” allows us to feel so much for a character who essentially feels nothing, both in its stomach-churning special effects eliciting all of the fall-off-the-bone brutality, and meaningfully measured performances from Quaid and Midthunder, who hit every artery on their way to audience hearts. While the film falls a bit substandard in the conventionalism of its script outline and drowns on a bit longer than needed or anticipated, it’s still a ferociously fun good time that keeps swinging, numbing us to none of love’s unstoppable force that drives us to devastating distances.

My Grade: 6.7 or C+