Code 8 (2019)

a_skeleton_05

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4.00 star(s) Rating: 4.00/5 1 Votes
Title: Code 8 (2019)

Tagline: Fear is the most dangerous power

Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Crime, Thriller, Drama

Director: Jeff Chan

Cast: Robbie Amell, Stephen Amell, Sung Kang, Kari Matchett, Greg Bryk, Aaron Abrams, Kyla Kane, Laysla De Oliveira, Vlad Alexis, Peter Outerbridge, Shaun Benson, Penny Eizenga, Lawrence Bayne, Jai Jai Jones, Alex Mallari Jr., Martin Roach, Nneka Elliott, Matthew Gouevia, Kevin Claydon, Ho Chow, Simon Northwood, Sarah Hoedlmoser, Karissa Strain, Max Laferriere, Merwin Mondesir, Casey Hudecki, Darrin Baker, JaNae Armogan, Jeff Sinasac, John MacDonald, Chris Handfield, Natalie Lisinska, Emma Ho, Herschel Andoh, Michelle Cormier, Oscar A. Gonzalez, Charile Riina, Nichole Arya Lentz, Christine Pagulayan

Release: 2019-12-06

Runtime: 99

Plot: In Lincoln City, some inhabitants have extraordinary abilities. Most live below the poverty line, under the close surveillance of a heavily militarized police force. Connor, a construction worker with powers, involves with a criminal gang to help his ailing mother. (Based on the short film “Code 8,” 2016.)

 

khorum

Murder Apologist
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Saw the short a while back. It was crowdfunded or something right? Is the feature any good?
 
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a_skeleton_05

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Saw the short a while back. It was crowdfunded or something right? Is the feature any good?
This film raised funds for production through crowdfunding website Indiegogo with 860% ($1,720,151 USD ) of the target amount raised, by 20,204 backers by April 24, 2016. By the time of the premieres (in 2019, see below), the Indiegogo campaign had raised $2,402,740 USD from 28,400 backers, including sales of premiere tickets at two tier levels (regular and VIP).

I haven't watched it yet but it's in my to-watch folder. Only found out about it due to being listed in the usual places
 

Rime

<Donor>
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The film was alright, not as good as the short, it turns into a crime/heist film at one point, which was 'eh'.

Still a nice departure from the average super hero flick, though.
 

Void

BAU BAU
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Why is this suddenly #3 on Netflix in the US? Anyone actually watched it?
I backed it on Indiegogo a couple years ago, and watched it a couple months ago when it came out. Rime's review is similar to my feelings; it's ok, better than average perhaps, but nothing super fantastic. It had a ton of potential that wasn't tapped. I'm not upset that I watched it or backed it, but it wasn't amazing.

I would guess, although I have nothing to back this with, that it is #3 (now #1 if you believe the backer email they sent out) because of a combination of the Amell cousins being dreamy to a certain segment of viewers, and everyone in quarantine eagerly watching literally everything new that gets released. And it isn't total shit.
 
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a c i d.f l y

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Yeah, it wasn't terrible. A lot of mixed subject matter. People with powers basically being day worker Mexicans. How cancer and powers interact. Police state, drones, robot security. Drugs. It was everywhere and nowhere. Then just kind of ended. I could have wasted 90 minutes on worse things, you're right about that.

Though after watching this, Stephen Amell is a shit actor compared to his brother, Robbie. Everything I'm seeing Robbie in, he's been decent. Stephen is the same Oliver Queen. But I respect the dude for what he's done for cancer funding, and how he's used his public face to further that cause.
 
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Void

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I know this moves me down the gay scale a bit, but I actually kind of liked the movie Robbie was in called The Duff. And Arx or whatever it was called on Netflix was actually pretty good too. So yeah, he's been in some decent stuff. And despite what anyone else thinks, I liked The Tomorrow People. Moreso the fucking hotties in it, but I still liked it.
 
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Qhue

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Watched it and I liked the overall setting quite a bit. The story went to pretty predictable places, but it was refreshing that the main character wasn't some messiah or something (I half expected him to manifest cold powers at a critical moment). I do think Robbie Amell is a better actor than his cousin, he just never seems to get cast in a show that has legs.

There's a sequel coming to Quibi apparently.
 
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Qhue

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Huh...that new show on Amazon which is sort of the Good Place meets Black Mirror stars one Robbie Amell. Hope it's good, the poor guy deserves a break.
 

faille

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Looks like the sequel to this it out now.
The first was good but a little undercooked imo. need to rewatch it though since its been a while
 
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Skinner

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I rewatched Code 8 in preparation for Part 2 and…

…6 out of 10 for me on Part 2. Writing and the fight scenes were a clear step down.


There was no reason at all for Robbie Amell to be in this. He does nothing in this, he’s needed for nothing, and he hardly utilizes his powers. He’s little more than an extra.

The writing and plot of this one is weird and was either rushed or (I suspect) rewritten and edited from what it originally was to what we got.

The character of Sergeant King was mostly okay but they missed a great opportunity and twist with him. At the end of the movie it should have been revealed that Sergeant King, not Amell, was the protagonist with Amell being the unsuspecting antagonist. The twist should have been that while King was corrupt, he was doing it on behalf of the powered community to avert a war. All the people he’s been bribing and putting in place? He’s doing it to enact change to make things better for those with abilities by bribing and removing those with clear prejudice against them. The ban of Guardians and the switch to non-lethal K9’s? Done for those with powers to gain back their trust. Residing in a nice house in a wealthy neighborhood? Turns out he married into money. All the money he’s been taking from Amell? Using it to renovate poor areas for the community, particularly those with abilities. The community center at the end? It should have been revealed that it was King, not Robbie Amell’s character, whose responsible for it. Hiding his abilities? Done because he want’s to enact change from within the system and not because he’s ashamed he has abilities and he knows he will never be accepted if they find out the truth.

Essentially, King and his men should have been Part 2’s version of The Shield’s task force. Corrupt? Yes, but with the intention to change the system for the better because he has the forethought to know theres a war just around the corner.

The end should have had Amell ”exposing” King, killing him, and the revelation of King’s corruption and him being “an imposter” should have flipped the government hard back against those with powers and undoing all the gains King accomplished. Both Amell’s end up in the same prison, The Trust or whatever they’re called in Code 8 flood the city with drugs since Amell is no longer running things, and the government gets ready to go all Sentinel on those with powers as a war between those with and without abilities is now all but inevitable.

Roll part 3.

I still enjoyed it but i’ll be surprised if Part 3 gets greenlit.
 

darkmiasma

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Just watched both the last two nights. 1 is better than 2, but I would still watch a 3rd one. I think the world building has been good so far, and I would be interested in watching more. They need to get the writing and SFX back to part 1 levels though.

Part 1 - 6/10 (would probably watch again if someone wanted to see it)
Part 2 - 4.5/10 (would not watch again)
 
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Dr.Retarded

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Just watched both the last two nights. 1 is better than 2, but I would still watch a 3rd one. I think the world building has been good so far, and I would be interested in watching more. They need to get the writing and SFX back to part 1 levels though.

Part 1 - 6/10 (would probably watch again if someone wanted to see it)
Part 2 - 4.5/10 (would not watch again)
What service is it on?
 
Movie information in first post provided by The Movie Database