Novocaine ★★★★

Released: 28 March 2025

Director: Dan Berk and Robert Olsen

Starring: Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson, Jacob Batalon, Betty Gabriel and Matt Walsh

It’s been quite the meteoric rise for charming nepo baby Jack Quaid, whose breakout turn in superhero satire The Boys has led to starring roles in franchises such as Star Trek and Scream. While he went against type in the recent sci-fi thriller Companion, Quaid channels Hughie’s hapless hero charisma in an incredibly bonkers action-comedy romp, with this original flick’s genuinely likeable love story making for a welcome addition to the action genre.

Assistant bank manager Nathan Caine’s (Quaid) risk-averse life is beholden to a tightly managed routine due to his chronic condition – congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA). Tennis balls are strategically placed protecting him from the corners of his office desk, he lives off smoothies and liquid food and he has to set an alarm to remind himself to pee every three hours otherwise his bladder might explode – you get the picture. But when his work crush Sherry (Amber Midthunder) – who he went on a recent date and spent the night with – is taken hostage by a crew of Santa-suited criminals during a bank heist, he risks all to try and save her.

While the premise is undoubtedly silly and absolutely a foil for the rather bloody and brutal fight sequences which follow, there’s thankfully more to this fish-out-of-water quest than meets the eye. Yes it’s amusing to see the hapless everyman brutally taking out several archetypal bad guys – think a live-action Boimler enacting John Wick-esque vigilante justice – but there’s a surprising amount of care afforded to both Nathan and Sherry. There’s a legitimate connection between the two as they open up about their vulnerabilities – Sherry has self-harmed since childhood as a means of escaping her past, while Nathan’s tattoos tell a story he hasn’t yet had the chance to experience.

Quaid and Midthunder share an excellent chemistry throughout, proving the surprise heart amidst the carnage. Quaid is note perfect as the romantic everyman thanks to his signature charm and humour – especially when amusingly trying to cover up his condition while being tortured. It’s great to see him in an action role too following The Hunger Games, with Nathan’s arc allowing him to further flex those (proverbial) muscles. While she isn’t afforded as much action as the outstanding Prey, Midthunder isn’t your typical damsel in distress, with the script cleverly subverting stereotypical gender roles. (It’s just a shame that the villains are so one note!)

Action fans looking for bone-crushing fight sequences have certainly come to the right place, with each combat featuring even more gory set pieces and inventive uses of everyday items as weapons – with Nathan even using one of his own protruding wrist bones to stab a villain! Quaid is afforded a particularly bad ass moment in one beatdown, as he pummels broken shards of glass into his fists, using them to damage the eyes of a swastika-tattooed brute. There’s also an amusing Home Alone homage too. However, the original concept does begin to wear a little thin towards the end of the film, but thankfully a car chase in the third act helps to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Novocaine is an insanely fun & gnarly action thrill ride! Quaid and Midthunder bring genuine charm to the action genre, along with a much needed role reversal with a smart, self-aware script. The fight sequences are also surprisingly inventive, and it’s so refreshing to see an original entry in the genre. Fingers crossed fans go out and support this film following the disappointing box office results for similarly original films Mickey 17 and Companion, especially in an industry full of sequels and live-action remakes.