Movie Review: ‘Code 8: Part II’

While the issues of the first movie aren’t entirely ironed out here, ‘Part II’ does at least build on the original in a way that feels organic and earned.

Robbie Amell as Connor in 'Code 8: Part II.'

On Netflix on Wednesday February 28th, ‘Code 8: Part II’ returns us to the world the fictional Lincoln City, a place where super-powered people are a dispossessed faction facing crackdowns from corrupt police officers and a wider population that either regards them with distrust or outright hatred.

The first movie, released in 2019, was crowdfunded into existence off the back of an impressive short film. While the new one has increased financial backing from Netflix, it feels smaller scale in some ways, though its focus is sharper. Some of the issues still hold over from the original, however.

Does ‘Code 8: Part II’ Have Some Power To It?

Robbie Amell as Connor, and Jean Yoon as Mina in 'Code 8: Part II.'

The first test that the new movie really needs to pass is whether you can enjoy it without having seen the first film. And though we would of course advise watching the original (that film is not perfect, feeling in many ways a recycled take on genre stalwarts such as ‘Blade Runner’, ‘RoboCop’ and particularly ‘X-Men’, but it has some solid entertainment value once you get past that), ‘Part II’ does enough to justify its own existence. And it tells a story that, if it’s not completely distinct from the first by design, is watchable without having a Wikipedia page open in front of you to pick up on any character history etc.

The opening expositional spiel, a more concise version of the first movie’s helps that, filling in a little extra about what happened in that film and why you should care about Robbie Amell’s gruff Connor.

Script and Direction

Co-written and directed by Jeff Chan (working again with co-writer Chris Pare plus franchise newcomers Sherren Lee and Jesse LaVercombe), ‘Part II’s storyline has a few issues in that it sometimes feels like you’re watching another version of the first movie –– once more Amell’s Connor has someone to worry about who has powers that could help him (last time it was a healer, this time it’s Sirena Gulamgaus’ teenager Pav, whose powers are much more nebulous, and seemingly a convenient plot driver). Stephen Amell’s Garrett, meanwhile, has gone up in the world, building his own drug empire in Lincoln city after his immediate bosses were wiped out last time.

Yet there’s enough here in the evolution of the world to have some added power –– the police are supposedly using less violent methods (a series of robotic police dogs), but the corruption level among the officers has increased.

On the direction front, Chan makes a low-budget sci-fi look good, and mostly maintains the feel of the original. The pacing problems of ‘Code 8’ still remain, though; the action is never quite as zippy as it could be and there are stretches where it lags.

‘Code 8: Part II’: Performances

Stephen Amell as Garrett, Robbie Amell as Connor in 'Code 8: Part II.'

Robbie Amell continues to put in a decent job as Connor, though he’s not really required to do more than scowl a lot and then stand holding his hand out and straining a bit while the VFX team does the heavy lifting of bringing his electricity powers to life on screen. While he’s not quite got the range of even his cousin (more on him in a moment), he’s certainly up to the task of playing Connor.

As for Stephen Amell, it’s fun to see him playing more of a villain, and he brings some depth to the role, though Garrett perhaps has a little less to do this time around, since he was more of a focus last time around. But ‘Part II’ certainly offers him enough to bring out a decent performance.

Stephen Amell as Garrett in 'Code 8: Part II.'

Sirena Gulamgaus treads a fine line as young Pav, managing to be engaging without becoming precocious or annoying. She’s sometimes more a plot point than a character, but the young actor brings her to life effectively.

Outside of the main trio, you have the likes of ‘Kim’s Convenience’ veteran Jean Yoon, who has some spark as the organizer of a run-down local community center, while a welcome Aaron Abrams returns as police detective Davis from the first movie, here doing his part to investigate his corrupt superiors.

Final Thoughts

The ‘Code 8’ franchise will not win many awards for originality, primarily existing as a mash-up of other, superior sci-fi takes on the encroaching threat of technology, police brutality and how a minority group deals with the prejudices of wider society.

There’s some fun action to be found, and the effects are solid for a lower-budget piece of entertainment. And as sequels go, it continues the story in decent fashion.

‘Code 8: Part II’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.

Code 8 Part II

"Power corrupts."

R1 hr 41 minFeb 28th, 2024

Watch Code 8 Part II Online

What is the Plot of ‘Code 8: Part II’?

The film centers around the 4% of people living in fictional Lincoln City who possess special abilities. It follows the journey of a teenage girl (Sirena Gulamgaus) fighting to get justice for her slain brother at the hands of corrupt police officers. After becoming a witness to the cover-up, she becomes a target and enlists the help of an ex-con (Robbie Amell) and his former partner-in-crime (Stephen Amell).