Michael’s Movie Grade: C
An okay action-comedy.
What really keeps this movie afloat is the two main characters. Nathan Caine (Novocaine) is a man who is unable to feel any pain. All his life gets has considered this as something holding him back and his fears and anxieties keep him from living the life he wants to lead. This is a character that we can all relate to. Our fears and anxieties may not be the same as his, but everyone can relate to the fear of putting yourself out there. Jack Quaid's performance lends more than a little likability to this character as well. The female lead is instead a character we don’t know much about at first but over the course of the film we learn more about her. What is however apparent from the start is what made Nathan fall in love with her. Any guy watching will have at least a little crush on her as well. This is more than just the actress (Amber Midthunder) playing her being pretty but also a certain charm and joy about her as well. That this sweet romance stands at the center of this ultra-violent film keeps the movie afloat even when other elements don’t work as well. The basic storyline is familiar but charming and the playful tone makes the near two hours go by quickly.
However, for an action-comedy, this movie is never as funny as it should be. There are a few moments that made me chuckle, but I never once laughed out loud. Many of the comedic moments feel like the filmmakers were trying too hard to be funny and the humor can often come off as forced. Though some of the action scenes are quite fun, the violence can often come off as too gratuitous. Worse yet is that as the film goes on it can focus too much on these ultra violent moments at the expense of the humor and story.
Great characters and a fun story help this movie a lot but it still should have been funnier and less dependent on it’s gross out violence.
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