With blockbuster movies on hiatus due to the pandemic, smaller budget projects like the new thriller ‘Synchronic,’ now have their moment in the spotlight. The collaboration between 30-something filmmakers Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead has created a brainy science fiction story that takes you down a rabbit hole. It’s ultimately a tale that speaks to the value of time and connections in our lives. It makes you think about time and how little of it we actually have. If you had the opportunity, would you travel back in time? ‘Synchronic’ makes you think about that concept and it also makes you think about how important it is to appreciate the present before it slips away.
Steve (Anthony Mackie) and Dennis (Jamie Dornan) are New Orleans paramedics. They are buddies that have fallen into a rut. Dennis is the responsible family man while Steve is a bachelor partaking in one-night stands. Although their lives differ, they are both restless. They work in the middle of the night together. Needless to say, their jobs are stressful. They respond to one gruesome emergency after another. The first call they get is a horrifying scene. They find a man who has been stabbed with an antique sword. Another emergency takes them to a corpse that has been burned to death. How did these victims die? The only clue is an empty wrapper that contains a new synthetic drug called Synchronic.
Steve is diagnosed with a serious illness and Dennis’ teenage daughter Brianna goes missing. These men are adrift in life. Time moves forward. Steve realizes his life has been empty. His only family consists of his loyal dog, Hawking. When Steve learns that Brianna ingested the designer drug Synchronic before her disappearance, it gives him a purpose in life. He buys Synchronic and begins to videotape experiments on the drug. It is a trippy ride. The drug lasts for about seven minutes and transports him back in time. One thing Steve finds out quickly. The past sucks! Marvel fans know Anthony Mackie as Falcon. He has been a talented working actor for decades. He carries this film and elevates it to another level.
So essentially it is a race against time. Every time Steve takes the drug, he learns more about how it works. Each brief trip he takes is comprised of a dangerous encounter. The cinematography of Aaron Morehead is out of this world. The past is depicted like a living hell or purgatory. The special effects are astonishing for a small film. It’s suspenseful the way the filmmakers bend reality. It evokes a moody nihilistic approach but one with hope for the human condition. As Steve steps deeper into the dark abyss, you get the sense that he is getting closer to redemption. The story comes full circle. Justin Benson’s screenplay gives his characters that appreciation for what they have in their lives now. It’s a hopeful message to value those people that mean the most in our lives.
This film could not have come at a better time as society grapples with a worldwide pandemic. The lead character (played well by Mackie) is dealing with his dark side. He has a stressful job where he is constantly exposed to death and destruction. He wants a brighter future. The writing on the wall is clear. Don’t lose sight of the present. Appreciate those deep connections in your life now. Go into ‘Synchronic’ with an open mind and you will come out with a bizarrely entertaining ride sprinkled with humanity.
