Introduction to a Unique Hero
Stories featuring ordinary people faced with extreme situations have proven to be popular in film history, ranging from Hitchcock movies like Rear Window to Brian De Palma’s Blow Out to the Coen Brothers’ Fargo. Recent films like Nobody and Love Hurts have put a twist on the sub-genre, featuring protagonists whose mild personas and everyman looks hide violent abilities.
A New Twist on the Genre
The new film is a further twist, as the ordinary man at its center has an ability that he’s never fully tapped before. Nate Caine is a mild-mannered assistant bank manager whose life is boring by design, as he has a disorder called Congenital Insensitivity to Pain. Being unable to feel pain, traumatic events that would stop most people in their tracks don’t faze him at all, sometimes to his detriment.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
Soon after making a rare connection with another bank employee, Sherry, the bank is robbed and Sherry is kidnapped. Nate decides to pursue the kidnappers to try to rescue Sherry, setting in motion a series of events that a person without his condition would find unbearable. However, his inability to feel pain turns him into a kind of unstoppable machine, determined to do whatever it takes to achieve his goal.
A Balance of Action and Comedy
That synopsis of the film makes it sound like a serious action film, but it’s actually an action comedy that finds a unique angle for its hero. The filmmakers portray Nate’s condition, if not completely accurately, then with an air of plausible realism. The laughs come not at his expense, but in reaction to how he repeatedly uses his ability to his advantage.
Graphic but Not Gratuitous
The result is a violently graphic film that rivals ones like John Wick in what it showcases. Knowing he can’t get hurt, Nate has no issue putting himself in harm’s way, whether it’s burns, gunshot wounds, impalements, and more. The amount of damage done to him could make the film into a kind of live-action Looney Tunes, but the filmmakers manage to walk the line between hilariously ridiculous and eye-rollingly stupid.
Character Development and Performances
The romance between Nate and Sherry provides a nice through-line for the story, with a few good twists and turns along the way. The lone big misstep of the film is Nate’s friendship with Roscoe, one developed through online gaming that turns into real life by necessity. It takes a long time for them to get any scenes together, with their interactions ultimately feeling unnecessary. Jack Quaid seems to be hitting his stride as an actor, starring in various roles and doing a great job of never overplaying this role, keeping Nate as a regular person despite what he’s able to do.
Conclusion
The film is much better than it probably had a right to be, with some solid storytelling, some intense action, and a fantastic lead performance. Humor and graphic violence don’t always go hand-in-hand, but this film finds a way to combine them in memorable ways. With its unique blend of action and comedy, this movie is sure to entertain audiences when it opens in theaters on March 14.
