A budget sci-fi that steps on the accelerator early and never lets up.
Code 8 Cast
Code 8 is a project from director Jeff Chan and executive directors Robbie and Stephen Amell. Veterans of sci-fi shows and the CW network (Robbie as half of Firestorm and Stephen as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow), the cousins introduce a challenging future that mixes mutants and technology.
The Amell cousins are joined by some familiar faces. Kari Matchett plays Connor (Robbie)’s health challenged mother. Greg Bryk plays the criminal mastermind, Marcus. Fast and Furious veteran Sung Kang is detective Park. Kyla Kane stands out in the controversial role as Nia.
Code 8 Story
The greater population is 4% “enhanced” or mutated with super powers. Much like the 90’s X-Men storylines, the enhanced population is forced to register with the government. This allows them to be identified and classified based on their power set. Much of the underlying story comes from the everyday implications of enhanced people living among us, with the “stealing our jobs”, “raising the crime rate” and other tropes. They exist in this world, and are more familiar that tired as narratives go.
The individual story centers around Connor (Robbie Amell) who is empowered with electrical abilities. He lives with his sick mother (Matchett) whose powers are overtaking her human form. Connor goes to job interviews and puts on a positive face, but when those opportunities fall flat, he gets desperate. Down on his luck, he hangs out with other day workers looking for any way to make a couple bucks.
Connor is picked up by a crew with a job that relies on his specific skills. This crew, led by Garrett (Stephen Amell), pushes Connor to test his limits as an electric mutant. This begins with Garrett making Connor disarm an electric fence. It accelerates into a bank vault heist and beyond.
Code 8 Production
Code 8 was filmed on a budget of roughly $2M. The majority of camera work is up close and executed with steady-cams. This gives the film a very personal film, with scenes that feature two characters or a dozen.
The way that the film was shot was clean and tight. The robot police bots called guardians were an excellent example. The stunt performers could fill in for any CGI effects. The shooting and stunts are executed in a gritty style that provides a Blade Runner type world with the personal pain of a John Wick fight scene.
Conclusion
Code 8 is a sci-fi success, much like Altered Carbon, Black Mirror or even Ready Player One in its vision of the future. The cast and crew deliver a compelling 90-minute sci-fi romp that has been missing for modern audiences and do so on a shoe-string budget. The result is a story of desperation set against a very X-Men scenario. Fortunately, the acting is solid, the stunt work is top notch, and the story keeps audiences rooting for the good guys until the final frame.