Well, this was a surprise. Code 8, which stars the family Amell in a sci-fi crime thriller. As the opening credits exposition explains the state of the world in this film, and the superpowered but downtrodden citizens that live in it, you can see it pulling solid ideas from a ton of different sources to make a nice fun amalgam of them all. Is it perfect? No. Is it a solid crime thriller with some cool powers and future tech that never wears out its welcome? It sure is.
The movie follows the life of Connor, an electrically powered man who is doing everything he can to survive and pay his mother's cancer bills before the brain tumor kills her. With the fear and hatred that the world has towards people with powers, Connor is forced to work undocumented labor jobs that are constantly being shut down by the police. When his mom's illness takes a turn for the worse, he is pushed into a world of drugs and crime to try to make quick money before she can no longer be saved.
All the plotlines, and most of the ideas used in this, have been done before. But in Code 8, they are done well enough that it doesn't matter how much of this we have already seen. The movie sets out to be an entertaining ride that has the odd message about equality, and health care for us to follow. The cast does a great job, and it is mostly down to the cousins Amell, who both work great in their roles. I also like how there really isn't a love interest for the main character in this story. I don't remember the last time I saw a lower budget sci-fi or superhero movie where there isn't some tacked-on love story. So, kudos for that. The effects are pretty solid, and not overused in a way that the flaws become apparent, which again is a bit of a breath of fresh air for what is basically a DTS movie.
So, well far from perfect, Code 8 is worth your time and stands as a solid and well put together action crime thriller that won't disappoint.