FILM REVIEW: NOVOCAINE (15) ESP RATING: 3/5

There’s been a lot of fun action-flicks over the past few years – but unfortunately this comes below expectations.

Since Keanu Reeves’ John Wick and countless Jason Statham films reignited this genre over the past decade, the trailer intimated this may be something along the lines of the enjoyable Bob Odenkirk-led action-comedy Nobody, from a few years back.

But unfortunately – despite being perfectly competent – ends up as middling fare.

The Boys TV series star Jack Quaid makes his major movie headlining bow, and puts in a noteworthy performance as mild-mannered introvert Nathan Caine – an assistant bank manager who is incapable of feeling physical pain due to a congenital defect. Which led to him being given the moniker of ‘Novacaine’ by the playground bullies in his past.

But when his sassy co-worker Sherry – played by Amber Midthunder, the breakout star of Predator spin-off Prey – takes an interest in him, nerdy Nathan must decide whether to continue to hide away in self-pity, or pluck up the courage to go out on a date.

And when it turns into something more and Nathan falls for her, his world is turned upside down. Literally. As on Christmas Eve morning, a gang of Santa-suit wearing robbers – led by Ray Nicholson’s Simon (who as a side note is Jack Nicholson’s son) – storm into the bank, murder Nathan’s boss, steal all the money from the vault – and more importantly kidnap Sherry.

This leads to Nathan ‘turning vigilante’ and using the ‘superhero-esque’ powers of being impervious to pain to his advantage for the first time in his life. Which then translates into a handful of eventful set-pieces – smashing his hands into glass to use his fists as a terrifying weapon, and grabbing a gun from a boiling hot fat fryer to name two – that make for an entertaining jaunt as he tracks down the gangsters one-by-one.

The problem is, it’s not quite as funny as it could have been. Gentle titters of laughter instead of all-out belly laughs.

There’s definitely some clever use of Nathan’s condition – pulling arrows from his leg or bullets from his arm without even wincing – and for that, Quaid just about pulls this into ‘satisfactorily entertaining’ territory.

But Midthunder, and other side acts – like Spider-Man’s best pal from the recent films, Jacob Batalon – don’t really get any traction, and it just meanders from one scene to the next, after taking a while to actually heat up in the first place.

In fact, it never really gets out of third gear. Meaning this is highly unlikely to get the intended sequel due to it not quite hitting the spot.

Which leaves this Novocaine not really for the soul – but as a passably brainless way to while away a couple of hours.

ESP Rating: 3/5

Gavin Miller

Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough & Odeon Luxe Peterborough, Out Now

Cast: Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson, Betty Gabriel, Matt Walsh & Jacob Batalon

Running Time: 1 Hr 50 Mins

Directors: Dan Berk & Robert Olsen

Film Review Venue: Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough

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