The Midnight Man (2016)

When Grady, an assassin with a genetic disorder that renders him unable to feel pain, is sent on a high-stakes assignment, his world is turned upside-down after an attack when he awakens to discover that he can feel pain for the first time in his life. With the clock ticking and his greatest asset gone, Grady will go head-to-head with his greatest fears and unspeakable enemies, while experiencing a tactile world he never could have imagined.

Genre : Crime/Thriller
Country : USA

Cast :
Will Kemp : Grady
Brinna Kelly : Zan
William Forsythe : Fairbanks

Director : D.C. Hamilton

My opinion

“Do you know , Ezekiel always says that there’s bad and then there’s me.
You see, your boss Pearl over there. He was very, very bad.
I’m worse.”

You think Grady (Will Kemp) is the new Batman? Or the successor of Spiderman? Maybe a reborn Superman or Ant-Man? So could he be a new super hero? No, not at all. Not in the strict sense of what we mean by a superhero. The only thing that makes him unique is a genetic disorder, which makes him totally numb. He feels absolutely no pain. Or the pleasure of a hot shower. Or even the blissful feeling of soft velvet sheets. Well, so erotic feelings won’t please him either. You can say, he’s the ideal assassin. Someone who laughs away the toughest tortures used by opponents who captured him. And that’s how this highly original film starts. The first thing I thought was: “What the hell is this?“. 

Let me get straight to the point. This was a unique film that scores highly in terms of humor. The creativity meter is set to maximum, if you just look at the main topic. This is a typical example of an “under the radar” movie you eventually watch in a dismayed state. It’s such a film you’ll watch with a “ok-we-will-see” feeling and afterwards you come to the conclusion that you’ve witnessed something unique. My expectations were very low. If you’re assuming this is just another crappy B-movie, you’ll surely be pleasantly surprised. First the cast. Will Kemp, Brinna Kelly (besides looking extremely delicious, she’s also a talented writer who co-wrote the script) and Doug Jones were totally unknown actors to me. But they played an outstanding role. There are also some well-known actors such as William Forsythe and Vinnie Jones. But lets be honest, the two protagonists are the shining stars in this entertaining film. Will Kemp was sublime. Grady is a cold-blooded hitman with some fighting experience and skills. He surely could be accepted as a member of “The expendables“. But above all, his sense of humor and imperturbability appealed to me the most. He has this sort of “Bruce Willis” attitude. The correct dose of dry humor. A feature that the original Willis apparently forgot about.

But Brinna Kelly was also perfect for the role as Zan. A nurse at the wrong place and time who gradually helps Grady with the task he must accomplish for Ezekiel (Brent Spiner). The funny thing is that Grady got some kind of medication which resulted in him having his sense of feeling back again. Not exactly an advantage if you’re in the middle of a job with a deadline and you are aware there might be some painful confrontations. A nice twist in the story. And trust me, it’s not the only one. The moment you think you know how the story is put together, a new and surprising twist shows up and turns the whole story upside down. I don’t mention this often, but this time I can only admire the work the scriptwriters did here. Rarely I’ve seen such an original, creative and entertaining film. And this because of the unique script and the excellent performances.

I surely recommend “The midnight man”. It’s an entertaining mix of action, gory bits (no imagination needed to figure out what you’ll see when they use nails during a torture session) and meticulously used humor. Once again a proof that among those films that aren’t placed in the spotlights and countless movie lovers are awaiting for, you can discover a pleasant surprise. So go watch this movie and enjoy!

My rating 7/10
Links : IMDB