Title: NovocaineDirectors: Dan Berk and Robert OslenCast: Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson, Betty Gabriel, Matt WalshWhere: In theatres near youRating: 3.5 StarsIn a cinematic landscape flooded with bullet ballets and brooding anti-heroes, this offbeat action-comedy dares to take the pain-free route—quite literally. Its title, is a clever nod to the local anaesthetic that numbs pain, serving as a metaphor for the hero’s condition and the film’s tone.Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, the film hinges on an absurd yet oddly compelling premise: Nate Caine, played with gawky brilliance by Jack Quaid, suffers from a rare condition that renders him immune to physical pain. What follows is a blood-soaked, bone-crunching rampage that would make you wince, but leaves Nate blissfully unbothered.Yet, beneath the gory spectacle and darkly comic tone, there’s a strangely human core. Quaid’s Nate isn’t your typical action juggernaut; he’s a fragile, over-cautious loner who bubble-wraps his existence to avoid accidental self-destruction. From tennis balls on furniture corners to slurping liquid meals, Nate's life is an exercise in paranoid self-preservation. That is, until love—and a violent bank heist—force him to embrace his bizarre biology.When Sherry (Amber Midthunder), Nate’s charming and slightly out-of-his-league co-worker, is taken hostage during a brutal robbery, Nate launches into an unwitting vigilante quest. What ensues is a gleefully grotesque parade of torture, impalements, and deep-fried limbs, all met with Quaid’s bewildered, boyish grin. It’s slapstick violence with a sadistic edge, where the audience flinches on Nate’s behalf because, well, he can’t.The film’s strength lies in its tonal tightrope walk. Berk and Olsen lean heavily into absurdist humour, often flirting with the ridiculous but never tipping into parody. There’s a touch of "Home Alone" here, with Nate walking into booby-trapped houses and taking medieval weaponry to the back, yet soldiering on with cartoonish resilience. It’s physical comedy disguised as an action thriller, and it works—mostly because of Quaid’s earnest, almost pitiful performance.However, the film falters with its action choreography. For a concept that thrives on inventive violence, the fight sequences feel oddly restrained and lack the kinetic flair that modern action cinema revels in. While the film excels in creative torture scenarios, one involving Nate buying time by pretending to feel pain is pure dark comedy gold, the set pieces often feel sluggish and visually uninspired.The emotional stakes, too, feel slightly undercooked. Midthunder’s Sherry is more plot device than character and the romantic chemistry between her and Nate feels manufactured. Ray Nicholson’s lead villain, while suitably unhinged, lacks the menace to make Nate’s journey feel truly perilous. The supporting cast, including Betty Gabriel and Matt Walsh as bumbling cops convinced Nate is the real threat, adds some comic relief but little depth.Yet, for all its flaws, the film manages to carve out a unique space in the action-comedy genre. It is violent, absurd, and oddly tender—a film that leaves its protagonist numb but ensures the audience feels every punch, cringe, and chuckle.Ultimately, this is the kind of film that doesn’t demand to be taken seriously. It’s a wild, bruised ride that will make you wince, laugh, and might even walk you out feeling a little... Novocained.