Action movie junkies are going to be fed well as the 2025 movie schedule continues, and a fresh title is just about to hit theaters. The film in question is Novocaine, a wild new flick starring Jack Quaid of The Hunger Games, Scream and The Boys fame. While the motion picture features a familiar lead, it includes a premise that’s a bit off the beaten path. Now, critics have had a chance to screen it and, while their thoughts may vary in some ways, they all seem to agree on one major element.
Filmmaking duo Dan Berk and Robert Olsen’s latest film centers on mild-mannered bank employee Nathan Caine, who is unable to feel pain due to a rare condition. Nathan is ultimately forced to spring into action to save his new girlfriend after she’s kidnapped by bank robbers. What results is a gory story that sees Nathan facing deadly forces. In CinemaBlend’s Novocaine review, Eric Eisenberg shared mostly positive thoughts, though he wished the central concept was utilized to greater effect. But he praised the lead actor:
The principal reason to check out Novocaine is really the turn by Jack Quaid and his continuing success as an entertaining leading man. Audiences spend a grand total of two whole days with Nathan in the movie, and we see his life go from 0 to 60 (from being afraid to eat solid foods to stealing a cop car to pursue a cadre of armed criminals), but Quaid has the charm to carry that transformation. He brings a magnetism that invests you in the character and has you rooting for positive change, and he’s also an adept comedic performer, as he gets laughs from being an innocent in dangerous waters and with physical bits.
When it came to this film, a lot was certainly asked of the Oppenheimer alum from a physical standpoint, based on the Novocaine trailers alone. The fan-favorite actor plays out some truly violent moments while portraying a character who can’t even feel the pain he’s being dealt. Rachel Labonte of Screen Rant enjoyed the ultra violent action-comedy film, and she had some particular praise to shower on Jack Quaid:
As for the humor, I had some concerns the Novocaine trailer had revealed the funniest moments and ruined some of the charm of Quaid's performance. Thankfully, that isn't the case, making for a genuinely hilarious movie that had the audience in my theater positively cackling. A lot of the credit for that goes to Quaid, who fully cements himself as a leading man by deftly intertwining Nate's polite, awkward demeanor with his growing determination to save Sherry at all costs. His comedic timing is on point the whole time.
What seems to be the commonality amongst these reviews is the sheer amount of love for Jack Quaid’s performance. Aside from taking loads of pain, Quaid’s Nathan also finds himself wrapped up in a sweet love story involving Sherry (Prey’s Amber Midthunder). Slash Film’s Bill Bria made mention of the film’s rom-com elements in his own review of the film. Interestingly, he also compared Caine’s situation to one depicted in a movie starring Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan (Jack’s parents):
Just as Quaid and Midthunder lend the film a winning rom-com vibe, so does Quaid's casting help bring out the inherent noir qualities of ‘Novocaine,’ where Sherry is both damsel in distress and a femme fatale goddess, and Caine is both macho action hero and noir patsy. Caine's mortal plight in the name of romance feels (perhaps coincidentally, perhaps not) reminiscent of 1988's remake of ‘D.O.A.,’ which starred his parents Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan.
Not everyone is so high on the film, though, including IndieWire’s Kate Erbland. While she didn’t outright pan it and also argued that it served as a solid showcase for Jack Quaid, her argument is that the film feels somewhat uneven:
This concept is a great one: what if an everyday geek was genetically wired to go absolutely ham to win back the dreamy girl who has stolen his heart? Initially, Nate is just as surprised as we are, but Jacobson’s script and Berk and Olsen’s direction soon offer a batshit U-turn that dilutes this idea in myriad disappointing ways. Sure, we might be able to chalk up Nate’s uncanny ability to battle bad dudes because he literally can’t feel the damage they are inflicting on him, but why does every single guy he fights also have to be a roided-up freak with no interest in self-preservation?
Mashable’s Belen Edwards did enjoy the film, as she made note of the action, humor and rom-com elements. She also lauded the My Adventures with Superman alum for his latest turn as an everyman who becomes haplessly caught up in extraordinary circumstances:
Speaking of star power, [Quaid] kicks into high gear when Nathan begins his quest to take down the trio of bank robbers who kidnap Sherry. Once again, he's the everyman stuck in a high-stakes situation. He's never shot a gun, and he doesn't really know how to fight, resulting in some hysterical scenes in which a hapless Nathan bumbles through intimidating his adversaries. He can't bluff to save his life, but my goodness, does he commit.
Jack Quaid has a lot of success as of late and continues to give strong performances in great productions. Just earlier this year, he co-led the well-received science fiction film Companion. Among the productions on his schedule that’s most anticipated is his return in Season 5 of The Boys, which will end the series. Based on the reviews for his Novocaine, it seems Quaid has another winner on his hands and that he rises to the occasion.
Of course, you can make your own judgments on the actor’s work when Novocaine opens in theaters on March 14.