The Wasteland Reviewer

Novocaine (2025) Written Review

What would you do if you could not feel pain? There are plenty of things you could either get away with and persevere through because you don’t have the limitations of pain and anguish. You could choose to do evil or good with such a lack of limitation. This trait would essentially turn you into a superhuman. Now there is one big limitation…you could still die. But you can still accomplish so much with a lack of feeling of pain. You could even save the woman of your dreams from being kidnapped during a robbery at the bank you both work at. That is the plot of Dan Berk and Robert Olsen’s new action thriller Novocaine. 

Does this film deliver on this crazy conceit? Without pain, someone could go through an insane amount of punishment and damage. That is certainly the case for Jack Quaid’s Nate who is desperately trying to save the woman of his dreams, Amber Midthunder’s Sherry. First off, Berk and Olsen deliver a film that is downright insane for dementedly fun action sequences throughout the film. Glass covered fists. Knives through hands in combat. Adrenaline shots. Deep fried hands. All the gnarliest and brutal things you can think of…Novocaine does it for sure. Then you have some fun choreographed fight scenes, car chases, and torturous schemes to really tie the experience together. But it wouldn’t be as enjoyable without the humor injected into the experience as well. Novocaine makes quite a darkly funny endeavor. 

Does Berk and Olsen do their best to flesh and out deliver on Lars Jacobson’s script? One of the bigger frustrations with the film is how stretched out it can feel. This is not a film that needed two whole hours to breathe. After a while, it feels like the story injects plenty of ignorance and bad judgment so there could be an excuse to give this film a big fourth act action set piece. Is that scene entertaining and fun to watch? Yes…but you must stop rolling your eyes to appreciate it first. The story has some unexpected twists and turns when it comes to this central bank robbery. There is enough shock value to refocus the whole lens for which the story is processed through. The romance might not have a lot of written depth, but the actors do some heavy lifting, nonetheless. Nate is relatable as our protagonist but most of the antagonistic forces are bland and don’t add much besides their specific narrative purpose. There are some good themes about love, friendship, and bravery but the humor and gags are what really sells this cinematic experience. 

Outside of the violence, action, and bloody gore, what other element of the film elevates the material? The cast. Quaid delivers plenty of personality in his portrayal of Nate and we can feel good getting behind his plight. The humor that Quaid injects is off-the-charts. His fake pain episodes while under torture are so good. His chemistry with Midthunder is top notch as well. She is a bit too perfect of a character, but Midthunder brings some authenticity and believability for sure. Jacob Batalon makes a fun supporting turn as Nate’s best online friend. The police feel tacked on, but Betty Gabriel and Matt Walsh deliver some good laughs at least. Ray Nicholson is left without much on the page, but his manic energy makes his character stand out more than it should. 

Is Novocaine a great bit of fun to be had in theaters now? This darkly funny action thriller has plenty to enjoy. The genre elements and a charismatic cast make the most out of this rock-solid script. There might be some logical gaps and excessive action sequences, but Berk and Olsen make them thoroughly entertaining, nonetheless. Quaid is really a star on screen and Midthunder holds her own as well. This charismatic duo gets the audience invested enough to overcome the blood and guts (if needed).