Code 8 is a movie that is currently on Netflix. It stars the Amell cousins, Robbie (who played Firestorm in the first season of The Flash, among other things) and Stephen (who played the Green Arrow in Arrow). Code 8 is about superpowered people, but there are no superheroes in it. The synopsis, on IMDB, reads: “In a world where people with “special” abilities are living in poverty, Conner Reed (Robbie Amell) is a powerful young man who is struggling to pay for his ailing mother’s medical treatment. To earn money, he joins a lucrative criminal world led by Garrett (Stephen Amell), who works for a drug lord (Greg Bryk).“

I watched Code 8 a few years back and I really liked it. There’s a grittiness to it that you don’t see too much in superpowered stories. Like the mutants in Marvel, the people with superpowers are vilified just because of what they can do. Unlike the X-Men, however, the superpowered people in the Code 8 universe don’t use their powers to try to save the planet. They just want to live normal lives, to be normal. Their society won’t allow that, though.

The reason I bring this movie up is because I learned yesterday that the sequel was already out. I knew it was coming, but I didn’t know it was already available to watch. So, after the girls went to sleep last night, I stayed up and watched it. Both of the Amell cousins were back, which was cool. The main protagonist in the movie is played by a guy who only had a minute or two of screen time in the first movie, but I’m really glad he had a much bigger part in the sequel. His name is Alex Mallari Jr, and I know him because he played Four/Ryo Ishida in the series Dark Matter.

I dislike spoilers, so the only thing I’ll say about the plot is what’s on the IMDB page: “After witnessing the murder of her brother and subsequent cover up, a teenage girl with abnormal abilities seeks the help of an ex-con (Robbie Amell) and his former partner-in-crime (Stephen Amell). Together, they face a unit of corrupt police officers who deploy advanced robotic technology to prevent themselves from being exposed.”

I liked Code 8: Part 2 just as much as I liked the first one. Maybe a little more. I still haven’t decided for sure. Either way, if you haven’t watched them yet, and you like those kinds of movies, I definitely recommend that you give them a shot. Well, the first one, at least. You don’t absolutely have to watch the first one to enjoy the second one, but it would certainly help.