Connor Reed is a construction worker in Lincoln City, and he can control electricity. That power should make him rich. Instead it makes him poor, because the government registers people like him, tracks them with drones and robots, and bans them from working unless they register their abilities. Connor’s mother, Mary, also has powers — she freezes things — and her illness means she cannot control hers. To pay for her treatment, Connor joins a gang led by Garrett, a telekinetic who works for the Trust, a crime syndicate that floods the streets with Psyke, a drug made from the spinal fluid of trafficked people with powers.
That setup sounds like a promising pitch. The problem is that “Code 8” never quite delivers on it.
Trailer, via Vertical.
Lincoln City and the Powers Ban
The film opens in the early 20th century, when the public learns of people with superhuman abilities, and the government passes a law requiring all Powers to register. Those abilities help build Lincoln City as “the city of tomorrow,” sparking an economic boom. Then the Third Industrial Revolution begins, and automation pushes Powers out of work. By the 1990s, the Trust has taken over, and the streets run on Psyke. The police use Guardian robots and facial recognition to hunt Power-related crime, while a citywide Powers ban hangs over everything.
Connor’s Mother and the Gang Job
Connor’s mother is dying. He cannot afford her treatment because his powers make him unemployable. So he takes a job with Garrett’s crew, a robbery of a chemical plant. The robbery scene is where the film shows off its best stunt work, as Connor shorts out an electrical fence in a display of power that draws attention from Garrett. Garrett introduces Connor to Marcus Sutcliffe, the local Trust agent and a mind reader, and to Nia, Marcus’s partner.
Garrett and the Trust
Garrett is a telekinetic working for Marcus Sutcliffe, the local Trust agent. Marcus is being pressured by his boss, Westley Cumbo, to pay his cut to the Trust or face consequences. The film sets up a clear villain in the Trust, but the script spends too much time explaining its history and mechanics rather than letting the story breathe.
Robbie Amell and Stephen Amell
Robbie Amell plays Connor, and Stephen Amell plays Garrett. Both actors bring energy to their roles, but the script asks them to carry a lot of exposition. Their chemistry is fine, but it is often buried under dialogue about registration laws and city-wide bans.
The Shortcomings
The film’s biggest weakness is pacing. The first half is weighed down by world-building — the history of Powers, the rise of the Trust, the mechanics of Psyke production — that could have been trimmed. The second half, where Connor gets closer to Garrett’s crew, picks up, but the payoff never fully arrives. The film’s tagline, “Fear is the most dangerous power,” is about the fear of being registered, but the movie never quite lands that punch.
The Technical Side
The film is shot with a gritty, handheld style that fits its crime-thriller tone. The action sequences involving Connor’s electric powers are well staged, though they are brief. The Guardian robots and the Psyke drug give the film a visual identity, even if the story around them is thin.
What Works
The film’s best moments come when it stops explaining and starts showing. Connor’s display of power at the fence is impressively choreographed, and the tension between Connor and Garrett grows sharper as the film progresses. The film’s premise is strong enough to sustain a better execution.
A Promising Premise, a Shaky Execution
“Code 8” is a film with a clear idea — a world where powers are registered, banned and hunted — but it struggles to turn that idea into a tight narrative. The Amell cousins carry the film, but the script buries them under too much backstory. The action is competent, the world is detailed, but the emotional core is missing.
Key Facts Box
– Title: Code 8 (2019)
– Director: Jeff Chan
– Writer: Chris Paré
– Runtime: 99 minutes
– Genres: Science Fiction, Action, Crime
– Cast: Robbie Amell as Connor Reed, Stephen Amell as Garrett
The film is not a failure. It has ambition, it has energy, and it has a premise that deserves better than this execution. But as it stands, “Code 8” is a missed opportunity. The Amell cousins and the cast do what they can with limited material, but the film never rises above its own mechanics.
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