Dan Berk and Robert Olsen have a history of making nods to body horror hybrid films. Before Novocaine, the pair’s last team-up was the sci-fi horror romance Significant Other, taking nods from John Carpenter’s 1982 classic The Thing for its story of an isolated couple beset by an extraterrestrial that takes over human forms with shocking accuracy. In Novocaine, Berk and Olsen pull from a different kind of body horror, with a protagonist’s unique condition providing an opportunity for some rather extreme contortions of the human body.

Jack Quaid as “Nate” in Novocaine from Paramount Pictures.

In Novocaine, Jack Quaid plays assistant credit union manager Nathan Caine, a man suffering from a relatively unique condition: he can get as damaged as anyone, but he can’t feel pain. It’s a condition that made Caine hyper-cautious, given that he could unknowingly bleed out from the simplest of cuts. That all changes after a whirlwind night of connection with coworker Sherry (Amber Midthunder). The next day, what should be a charmingly upbeat shift is upended when a set of bank thieves take Sherry hostage, and Caine sets off after them. One by one, he takes them on, suffering increasingly gory injuries while he looks in awe at his own body (with Betty Gabriel’s Det. Langston in hot pursuit). It’s a great action film that uses body horror for both high-octane action and comedy… and it makes for a perfect double feature with a 2018’s underrated sci-fi body-horror actioner, Upgrade.

‘Upgrade’ Is Another Exemplary Body-Horror Action Movie

Leigh Whannell’s Upgrade is a criminally underseen gem, starring Logan Marshall-Green as auto mechanic Grey Trace living in a near-future era. His wife Asha, played by Melanie Vallejo, accompanies him to the home of tech entrepreneur Eron Keen to return a refurbished vehicle. Eron reveals he’d been working on a chip called STEM that can manage human motor functions among other capabilities. Returning home, Grey and Asha’s self-driving vehicle crashes and four men emerge, killing Asha and paralyzing Grey. Now a quadriplegic, Grey is aided by Eron who installs the experimental STEM, helping Grey walk once again… but there’s a catch. STEM can override Grey’s paralysis and operate his body, true, but it also increasingly seems to have a mind of its own.

Logan Marshall-Green in Upgrade
OTL Releasing

The relatively simple sci-fi premise allows for electric action sequences, a fair bit of ironic comedy, and relevant body-horror elements as Grey reacts to his independently piloted body performing acts of violence that he doesn’t control, accepting the dangerous bargain to avenge his murdered love. Like Caine, he sometimes enjoys his surprising ass-kicking proficiency, but Grey routinely looks on in horror as his STEM-piloted body violently punishes villains. The pair of films do have a different feel to them, with Novocaine leaning into the possible black comedy of situations like these, but they have a surprising amount of connection.

Betty Gabriel Will Stop Every Single Body-Horror Action Rampage

If you’re looking for a perfect double feature, Upgrade and Novocaine are your ticket. They do hybridize different genres with action, Novocaine adding romance elements while Upgrade fits squarely in science fiction. On the other hand, both utilize body-horror elements to create some truly engaging action sequences. Caine doesn’t feel the effects of his rampage on his body, but he does regularly exhibit shock as recognition sets in of what he’s doing to himself. Grey, on the other hand, constantly reacts to the absurd violence his body dishes out while under the control of STEM (an experience that Caine also shows in the moment), with both men going on a rampage in the name of a woman they love.

Jack Quaid in Novocaine
Paramount Pictures

One final odd coincidence: in each case, while the protagonists are hunting down the men who attacked their loved one, the heroes are also being hunted by a Detective hoping to get to the bottom of their vengeful spree. In both films, Betty Gabriel plays the detective, and in each case, the detective is well-meaning, though the protagonist is partially animated from doubts that the villains will see justice if he leaves it to the police. They’re different in genre, beats, and numerous details, but you can now celebrate the release of Novocaine through a perfect “Betty Gabriel Investigates The Murderous, Body-Horror Revenge Campaign Of A Man Who Can’t Feel Pain” Double Feature.

Novocaine is in theaters March 14. Upgrade is available to stream on Netflix.

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