Code 8 – Netflix Review (3/5)

CODE 8 is a new Sci-Fi Thriller on Netflix. The movie stars Robbie Amell as a super-powered construction worker in a dystopian world. To help out his mother financially, he becomes involved with the wrong people. Read our Code 8 review here and check it out on Netflix!

CODE 8 is a new Sci-Fi thriller on Netflix. Set in an alternative reality, not unlike that of X-MEN, super-powered people exist and are hunted. There are many obvious analogies for the world we live in. Especially in terms of the powered people enduring much of the same as undocumented immigrants.

ALSO READ:

Our review of the Code 8 sequel – Code 8: Part II >

Robbie Amell stars as a super-powered construction worker trying to help his mother, who needs medical help. In other words, she needs money to be able to go to the hospital.

Continue reading our Code 8 review below and check it out on Netflix!

A familiar face in the lead

Robbie Amell stars in Code 8 as Connor Reed which is only appropriate since he also starred in the 2016 short film version. You might know him from The Flash TV series but he also starred in the Netflix sci-fi thriller ARQ (2016) which was very interesting. In a good way!

Recommended reading:

Our review of the Netflix movie ARQ starring Robbie Amell >

Also, Robbie Amell was in The Babysitter (2017) which is yet another Netflix movie. For that one, however, the brilliant Samara Weaving stole the show entirely. Check out our review of The Babysitter on Netflix here and do make sure you watch it!

Starring as his mother is Kari Matchett as Mari Reed. Kari Matchett has done a lot of genre movies including the sci-fi thrillers Cube 2: Hypercube and Cypher which are both from 2002. Also, she’s been a whole slew of TV series including ER, 24, and all seasons of Covert Affairs (2010-2014). Also, she was in the mystery mini-series 5ive Days to Midnight (2004).

Stephen Amell of Arrow is also in Code 8 in a key role. And yes, Robbie and Stephen Amell are related as first cousins. Yet another familiar face is that of Laysla De Oliveira from the Locke & Key Netflix series and the Netflix movie In the Tall Grass.

You might like: Our review of the Netflix series Locke & Key season 1 here >

The ending of Code 8 on Netflix

We generally don’t do spoilers in our reviews, but I still wanted to talk about the Code 8 ending since it felt a little flat to me. In fact, the final half of this new Sci-Fi thriller on Netflix was much weaker than the beginning.

In the opening scenes of Code 8, we’re confronted with many familiar issues. These include robots taking over jobs at factories. However, instead of taking jobs from undocumented immigrants or people without higher educations, these jobs were taken from “powered” people.

Also, we see these powered people working at construction sites where the police show up. This is easily compared to ICE raids. All of this was interesting to me, even when the analogies were a bit heavy-handed. I mean, X-Men often used comparisons with being LGBTQ and used the term “Coming out” as having special abilities.

To me, the Code 8 ending just becomes a typical action-thriller rather than focusing on many other things. Also, everything that happens in the final moments of Code 8 is so predictable. It’s entertaining but nothing more really.

Watch Code 8 on Netflix now!

Jeff Chan is the director of Code 8 and this is only his second feature film as a director. He has done quite a few short films over the past ten years. In fact, even this latest feature film is based on his own short film from 2016. His first feature film was the horror-thriller Grace from 2014 which co-starred the always brilliant Lin Shaye. 

The Code 8 screenplay was written by Chris Pare (based on a story by director Jeff Chan). Chris Pare also wrote the script for Chan’s previous movie, the abovementioned Grace (2014). For both Jeff Chan and Chris Pare, Code 8 is a more accomplished film that shows their potential as a filmmaker duo.

Code 8 originally premiered at the amazing Sitges Film Festival in Spain back in October of 2019. Since then, it has screened at genre film festivals worldwide. Following this, it was released on VOD back in December 2019 and now it’s finally out on Netflix during the Easter weekend of 2020. Perfectly timed for some entertainment while you’re staying at home.

Code 8 is out on Netflix from April 11, 2020.

Details

Director: Jeff Chan
Writers: Chris Pare (screenplay), Jeff Chan (story)
Stars: Robbie Amell, Kari Matchett, Stephen Amell, Greg Bryk