Regie:
Jeff ChanScenario:
Chris PareCamera:
Alex DisenhofActeurs:
Robbie Amell, Kari Matchett, Stephen Amell, Sung Kang, Greg Bryk, Aaron Abrams, Alex Mallari Jr., Shaun Benson, Ho Chow, Simon Northwood, Ess Hödlmoser (meer)Streaming (1)
Samenvattingen(1)
In a future where the authorities persecute anyone who is "different", a young man with super powers has no choice but to accept the offer of a criminal who wants to take advantage of his abilities, even if it means he’ll have to risk drawing the attention of the law enforcement agencies. (Sitges Film Festival)
Recensie (5)
Code 8 is a new take on stories about people who have supernatural abilities, have to fight for their right to exist, and hide their powers from the outside world. A whole slew of such movies has come out in recent years, and if someone does not make a truly original version of this "X-Men" universe type of movie, they will just keep churning out the same old movies. If we overlooked the science-fiction element in the supernatural abilities in Code 8, we would be left with a relatively ordinary crime drama about virtuous thieves and malevolent mafia bosses with an average storyline, which we have seen many times before in other movies. Although it is a well-made movie and so we can not blame the usual blunders, the problem is simply the subject matter, which just does not appeal to me. [Sitges 2019]
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X-men on the other side of the law. A dime-a-dozen theme technically well-crafted into a sci-fi B-movie without any screenwriting inventiveness or memorable acting performances. Who was this made for? Fans of the genre like these kinds of things done on a grand scale or at least imaginatively (Upgrade). Even the music shamelessly steals from Martinez's Drive and Fiedel’s Terminator. [Sitges FF]
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Jeff Chan made a short film in 2016 and since it was a success he decided to make it a feature film, and it's a very enjoyable sci-fi B movie. The film has an interesting world that happens to be similar to the recent Freaks (X-men from the other side), except here the police have robots, there are drones patrolling the air, people are being destroyed by the new drug Psyke, and people with superpowers can't work normally and if they do, it's illegal and they can be shot. The protagonist can control electricity and is one of the most capable of his kind, and he nods at a black job for a local gang, and since his powers make him useful, he starts working for them until things go classically wrong. The script could have been more interesting, I wouldn't have been angry if the film had an extra half hour and made better use of the well-chosen premise, but if a good idea, a likable main character, great technical aspects and very solid action are enough for you, you should be as satisfied as I am. 7/10.
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Lately, it feels like there's been a flood of X-Men variations, and Code 8 is no exception. For a low-budget sci-fi, it boasts surprisingly impressive effects and solid visuals. However, its main flaw is a weak script that starts off promising but quickly runs out of steam, leaving us with yet another clichéd story punctuated by a few decent action scenes. It's a commendable effort, but it won't blow anyone away. In the end, Code 8 is just another forgettable sci-fi film that you'll soon forget.
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Finally, after a long three years, the Amell brothers managed to bring this project to life. Even after watching the short film with the same name, I felt that this world definitely has something to offer if they could come up with a somewhat more sophisticated script for an interesting plot. The current full-length film certainly isn’t among the best in the superhero genre, but it still brings a few innovative ideas and great visuals, so I wouldn’t write it off entirely. I have to praise the visuals; for 2 million dollars, it looks more than decent. The story, while clunky at times, tries to throw in interesting twists now and then, so it’s acceptable to me. As for the performances, both brothers delivered top-notch work. It’s a shame the creators didn’t try to develop the story from the other side of the barricade, particularly the subplot with the police officer played by Sung Kang. I would also welcome a sequel if the first film makes a decent amount of money; the potential is definitely not exhausted. I give it 72%.
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