OBSERVER: Rourke’s Review
Novocaine
(MA). 110 minutes. Opens in cinemas April 3.
Intermittently amusing action/romance/comedy that, while quite gruesome at times, doesn’t take its premise to the absolute crazy extreme, playing it too predictable too often.
Jack Quaid (son of Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid) plays Nathan Caine, an assistant general bank manager who has a rare genetic condition that has him unable to feel any pain.
Living a routine, reclusive existence, Nathan comes out of his shell somewhat when he develops feelings for bank clerk Sherry (Amber Midthunder).
The two connect, but before things can get serious, Sherry is taken hostage the following day by a group of bank robbers, led by Simon (Ray Nicholson).
Realising he is in love, Nathan decides to go after the brutal robbers, and his condition becomes a plus as he battles each criminal, taking frequent beatings as he attempts to save Sherry.
Directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen (Villains, Body) have fun with the concept, but Lars Jacobson’s script never really goes beyond its high concept set-up, and as such, the whole thing begins to fall into repetition (Nathan’s break in to one robber’s home and its eventual consequences is the highlight).
Quaid and Midthunder are likeable enough. While it never reaches any genuinely compelling or deranged heights (and given its concept, is way too long), Novocaine is just entertaining enough to be mild fun, and is reminiscent of the Crank movies, starring Jason Statham. For me, Villains remains the directors’ best film to date.
RATING – ***
Hunt
n (MA). 125 minutes. Now available on selected digital platforms.
Renowned Korean actor Lee Jung-Jae, who became a household name with western audiences after the phenomenal worldwide success of the terrific Netflix TV series, Squid Game, steps behind the camera to make his directorial debut with Hunt, an unabashedly entertaining, if overly convoluted, high octane espionage action/thriller.
Set in 1983, the story deals with the political turmoil occurring in South Korea, with protests against the current authoritarian government, and the factional infighting happening between the domestic and foreign departments of the KCIA, the former led by Chief Kim Jung-do (Jung Woo-sung), the latter by Chief Park Pyong-ho (Lee). The two agents have a bitter history, but both are on the back foot when it appears there is a mole within the KCIA, who is leaking information about the schedules of President Choi Kyu-hah.
Subplots and red herrings increase by the minute as Lee tries to stay one step ahead of the infiltrator, and also tries to clear his name, as he is named as one of the chief suspects.
In many ways, Hunt is a difficult film to review, as it works as a visceral, if illogical, action/thriller, while its plethora of history bound material is overstuffed, never allowing plot threads and characters to breathe and properly develop, muting its overall dramatic impact.
Lee, whose almost three decade career has seen highlights such as Il Mare (2000) (which was remade as The Lake House with Keanu Reeves), The Thieves (2012), New World (2013), The Face Reader (2013), Big Match (2014), Assassination (2015), Along With The Gods 1 and 2, Svaha : The Sixth Finger (2019), and Deliver Us From Evil (2020), makes a confident debut as star/co-writer/co-producer/director, and has obviously paid attention to the directors he has worked with over the years, especially during the exciting and well-staged action sequences. Though one appreciates the close attention required to follow what is going on, the overly cluttered plotting is also a factor of Lee trying to cram too much into one script, incorporating so many Korean historical incidents (of which audiences will need some knowledge of) and supporting characters that can’t possibly be fully explored in a two hour running time (particularly the female roles). The finale also ventures into gonzo territory. Lee gets strong performances from his star-studded cast, and technically the film is first-rate.
If solely taken as a fast-paced (and it does move at a lightning pace) action/thriller, Hunt succeeds admirably, forcing audiences to concentrate in-between all the thrills and spills. But for those who are fans of deservedly acclaimed political Korean films such as The Spy Gone North (starring Hwang Jung-min, who has one memorable scene here) and The Man Standing Next, or the provocative, under-appreciated ‘what-if’ action/thriller 26 Years (streaming on Netflix), may find this somewhat disappointing. Whatever your reaction may be, this is a promising directorial effort from Lee, and it will be very interesting to see what he does next behind the camera. For western audiences, this would make a fine double bill with the 1987 Kevin Costner film, No Way Out.
RATING – ***½
Aaron Rourke