“Novocaine” Review: A Popcorn Movie That Plays On Gore But Is It Enough?

On the hype of the seemingly gory aspects of this year’s highly anticipated movie, Dan Berk’s “Novocaine” is a treat for all action fans looking to squirm at the punishingly gruesome trials the protagonist has to go through to save his love interest. Imagine if “Uncut Gems”, “The Nice Guys”, and “Better Call Saul” had a baby. If you’re looking for an easy sit-down with the kids at a new superhero trope, “Novocaine” isn’t it.

Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, this rom-com action film follows Nathan Caine, a seemingly normal guy with a seemingly normal name, who is born with genetic disorder that makes him incapable of feeling any pain. What starts as a guy trying to find his place in the world, despite the setbacks caused by his disability, turns into a journey of self-awakening in the goriest of ways.

Nothing of note starts at the beginning of the film, where it introduces Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid), the protagonist of the movie. Nathan is a bank assistant manager with a strict lifestyle to keep himself alive. He is an introvert, only playing games online on his PC, and doesn’t seem too eager to explore the social aspects of life. That is, until he meets Sherry Margrave (Amber Midthunder), a charming character who opens up Caine’s world to new possibilities. Sherry is a co-worker that immediately captures Novocaine’s attention as they share a passionate night after an eventful date.

We learn of his past of previously getting bullied in middle school, which acts as a driving force to his present persona of only keeping to himself, not wanting to step out of his comfort zone. However, one doesn’t need to see his parents being murdered to get this average Joe to go all “C-ape” when his newly found love interest gets kidnapped by three armed Santas during a bank robbery. Unknowingly, Nathan goes on a journey to search for her and finds himself along the way, with what we can say some major bruising.

Storyline-wise, we’re given an almost replica of “Crank” where the enjoyment of viewers derives nearly from the way Caine takes punishments, as he either ignores the injuries or feigns hurt to confuse his enemies. The film’s selling points are the absolutely wicked scenes of knives being plunged into his hands or how Caine dips his hands into boiling oil, showcasing the savagely-comedic ways his body can take injuries without feeling pain.

The film sports a comedic, witty approach with the addition of Jacob Batalon as Nathan’s online gaming friend, known for his “don’t-involve-me” persona (but gets involved anyway). Jokes made by other actors are pun-like, a good takeaway from the movie’s gory nature.

However, playing with the gore factor makes up for its almost predictable storyline. The usual, “guy meets girl, falls in love, gets kidnapped, and saves her” doesn’t attempt to challenge or surprise its audience. Visually, the film doesn’t offer anything particularly dynamic, relying on genre conventions rather than inventiveness.

And while the characters are supposed to carry emotional weight, the relationships feel underdeveloped and don’t elevate the predictability of the plot. Even the action sequences, which could have provided some much-needed excitement, fail to inject any real sense of danger or urgency, especially when Nathan’s condition renders him impervious to harm.

Overall, “Novocaine” is an easy popcorn movie that is a squirm-worthy find with no signs of adding a second edition to its series. Its play on gore, which feels like a life-like “Dumb Ways To Die”, mixed with a humorous touch, is one for action fans who want straight up action-packed brutalism minus the effects of consequence. Expect to go “AAAAAGHHHH” throughout the movie because this one isn’t for the faint of heart.

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“Novocaine” is currently showing in cinemas nationwide!

Alyssa Gabrielle contributed to this article