Code 8

Humorless but unpretentious, the film will play well with those seeking new takes on superhero tropes... while others will resent having a still-viable non-comics genre infected by angsty mutants.

Essentially a humbler, grungier indie "X-Men" without the same dependence on splashy effects, "Code 8" is a solid genre effort from director Jeff Chan.

The ideas outpace the action in a movie that's clearly been made with passion and intelligence, but without the kind of zip that this kind of story demands.

Code 8 is a troubled but engaging world that has the potential to spin off into something bigger and better.

Chan does a good job balancing the action with ideas, effortlessly mixing and matching real word and sci fi elements to create a movie that has enough to say about the fear of diversity and tolerance to earn a look.

Tight for what it was. It's not going to rock your world...but viewers should begrudgingly admit that they had a good time with this. Despite some obvious problems, it's enjoyable.

I saw the effort, even within the cliched crime story...they were actually trying to do something, and I appreciated that.

[It] isn't perfect... - it's a bit too relentlessly dour and humourless - but it does a remarkable job in bringing a believable alternative world to the screen on the sort of resources that would barely pay for the credit sequence in an X-Men movie

'Code 8' reminds us that ambition and love for the project carry over to what is seen on the screen. [Full Review in Spanish]

Think heist movie with off-brand X-Men, and you'll be right on target.