The Lightning Code * A Thrilling And Heartfelt Adventure That Blends Science, Friendship, And Courage Into A Family-Friendly Sci-Fi Film That Sparks Your Imagination!
Teenage inventor Miles Fletcher unlocks the lost secret to limitless energy, catching the attention of Luxos Energy, a corporation posing as heroes. Just as he perfects his invention, they betray him—stealing his work and shutting him out. With nowhere to turn, Miles must decide—give up or trust his friends and fight back. In a high-stakes battle of ingenuity vs. industry, he races to stop Luxos before they turn his discovery into a weapon.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Ashleigh C. comments, “The Lightning Code is a thrilling and heartfelt adventure that blends science, friendship, and courage into a family-friendly sci-fi film that sparks your imagination! With high-stakes action, lovable characters, and a meaningful message about innovation and integrity, this film is a standout in the genre.” Braedyn M. adds, “The Lightning Code is not your standard issue sci-fi film. A complex plot with multiple layers, mystery at every turn, and the trust and chemistry of friendship set the stage to prove that the future is truly what we make it.” Isabella V. wraps it up with, “The Lightning Code has such distinctive ideas and uses very interesting concepts to create a captivating story. The concepts and ideas for technology in this film are phenomenal – not only are they remarkable, but they are especially well designed and executed.” See their full reviews and Ashleigh’s interview with producer Joel Edwards below.
The Lightning Code
By Ashleigh C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 20
The Lightning Code is a thrilling and heartfelt adventure that blends science, friendship, and courage into a family-friendly sci-fi film that sparks your imagination! With high-stakes action, lovable characters, and a meaningful message about innovation and integrity, this film is a standout in the genre.
What I love most about The Lightning Code is how it balances big ideas, like clean energy and corporate corruption, with genuine emotional moments and exciting twists. The film is packed with action and mystery, but it never loses sight of the heart at the center of the story — a boy trying to honor his mother’s legacy and do the right thing.
The story follows teen inventor Miles Fletcher (Andrew Reid), who finally cracks his late mother’s code, an invention based on Nikola Tesla’s dream of limitless energy. When a powerful corporation called Luxos Energy steps in with promises to help, Miles believes he’s found a way to change the world. But Luxos has its own sinister agenda. With the help of his best friend Piper, her hilarious younger brother Jamie, and his loyal robot companion Newt, Miles must outsmart a tech giant and unlock the truth about his invention and himself. Andrew Reid brings charm and conviction to the role of Miles, making him both relatable and inspiring. Piper is a standout character too, fierce, loyal, and smart. The chemistry among the young cast is fun to watch, and Newt the robot adds humor and heart to the team.
The visual effects are impressive, especially during the high-voltage scenes involving Miles’ invention. The film feels both futuristic and grounded, thanks to its sleek design and real-world themes. One of my favorite parts of the movie is when Miles and Piper break into Luxos to retrieve the missing blueprints; it’s full of suspense, clever thinking, and showcases their strong friendship. The film also excels in building emotional stakes, especially in scenes that connect Miles to his mother’s memory and mission.
The Lightning Code carries a powerful message — young people can lead big changes, especially when guided by integrity, teamwork, and curiosity. It promotes perseverance, critical thinking, and trust in the face of deception. There’s no inappropriate content or bad language, making it a great pick for families.
I give The Lightning Code 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults who enjoy fast-paced family films with a message. It opens in select theaters on May 9, 2025. It’s a jolt of fun you won’t want to miss!
The Lightning Code
By Braedyn M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 16
The Lightning Code is not your standard issue sci-fi film. A complex plot with multiple layers, mystery at every turn, and the trust and chemistry of friendship set the stage to prove that the future is truly what we make it.
Meet Miles Fletcher (Andrew Reid). He’s a teenager like any other, except for the fact he has found the secret to perpetual energy. Hoping to bring his invention to the world, he reaches out to Luxos Energy with the hope they support his project. Unknown to him, Luxos is up to more than just clean energy, and it’s only a matter of time before Miles finds out. With the help of his friends Piper (Sienna Ribeirio) and Jamie (Ryder Khatiwala), he must figure out how to stop this corporation giant, before the world is changed forever.
It might seem like this feature is pretty straightforward, but there are more twists and turns than I expected. Multiple elusive storylines create an air of mystery, and how the parallel adventures from multiple times come together, through code, is fun to see. There are times when Miles might feel stuck, only to find a phrase or a sequence from years before that shows the way through a challenge. My favorite scene is actually one such instance. After Miles learns the truth behind Luxos, he’s not sure where to turn next. All seems lost until a saved childhood artifact reveals the code he must crack for him to keep going.
Now any good movie has laughter, and The Lightning Code is no exception. This movie finds its own in Newt, a robot with a wicked sense of dry humor. Built to help Miles’ endeavors, Newt always is there to provide a new side to the argument with hilarious and often sarcastic comments. Of course Miles has more friends than just a realist robot. The chemistry between Piper, Jamie, and Miles is clear as day, and brings the movie further into reality. Director Kali Bailey wonderfully captures the spirit of teamwork as the friends work through the difficulties Luxos throws their way.
This film’s message is that there is always another way. Though Luxos proves to be a serious threat, Miles and his pals find a way through the dark, in order to light up the world.
I give The Lightning Code 5 out of 5 stars, and recommend it to ages 12 to 18 plus adults. The Lightning Code releases in select theaters on May 9, 2025.
The Lightning Code
By Isabella V., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14
The Lightning Code is such a unique movie with incredible visuals and ideas. It’s unlike anything I have ever seen, and the mysteries and puzzles always had me invested thanks to their distinctiveness.
The movie follows Miles Fletcher (Andrew Reid) as he attempts to finish his mother’s work and discovers how to harness energy through lightning. However, due to this discovery, Luxos Energy, a company searching for the same thing, attempts to stop Miles from helping the world with his machine.
The Lightning Code has such distinctive ideas and uses very interesting concepts to create a captivating story. The concepts and ideas for technology in this film are phenomenal – not only are they remarkable, but they are especially well designed and executed. For example, the machine for power is so special and cool looking, and I love how the way it works is well explained. The story is very well-written, with noteworthy plot points and characters such as the protagonist, Miles Fletcher. His character arc is extremely well-developed, and his actions and reactions are all believable as a result of our following his reasoning as it occurs. However, some earlier scenes suffer from a lack of buildup, leading to them to make less of an impact than later scenes, despite their importance. These scenes are helped by the impeccable camera work by Diego Cacho which highlights the emotions of the characters through the visuals.
On the whole, the visuals are extraordinary – the sets help tell the story and the bigger effects, such as the explosions, all leave their mark. The music choices add a lot, especially in the montages, such as when “The Spark” is used when Miles is inventing – they help tell the story through the lyrics.
The film’s message is to put trust in the people that you care about, and trust that they care about you. Be warned that there are guns and violence is shown in parts of the movie.
I give The Lightning Code 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12. It releases in select theaters on May 9, 2025.
