Synchronic

Benson and Moorhead are currently my top picks among indie genre filmmakers. I love how they bring fresh, innovative ideas to the table, flipping established rules and playing with genre clichés. Synchronic is their most mainstream film to date, but it still retains their unique style and creative signature — I’m confident they won't start making films just for the paycheck. It’s great to see them attract big names like Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan, and I hope this film helps them gain even more fans. People often ask for original films with fresh ideas and new perspectives, but then they sometimes dismiss or overlook them when they actually get them. Synchronic is a breath of fresh air — I haven't seen such an intriguing sci-fi in a while. The first half of the film misleads you, only to reveal its true colors in the second half. The concept is fantastic and leaves you wanting more, eager to explore further possibilities. Yet, the beauty lies in the fact that this single journey feels complete and satisfying. The film's finale is excellently executed, with a beautiful emotional touch. An absolute joy! (12/29/2019)

These two guys know what they’re doing. The joy of their films also lies a bit in finding your place in the target group of open-minded viewers who like to think about alternate realities and explore how far a film firmly anchored in its genre can go. Synchronic has an insane theme that would end up as total inanity in the hands of a lot of purely commercial Hollywood filmmakers, because they would attach importance primarily to the visual wow effect. Moorhead/Benson keep the visual effects simple, purely as a means of telling a story with a strong atmosphere and meaningful interactions between characters. And those dialogue scenes! [Sitges FF] (10/10/2019)

An interestingly filmed sci-fi about paramedics who, alongside the regular junkies of New Orleans, start to figure on the list of bizarre cases of severe harm/death connected with a new synthetic drug. The original topic is supported by a stifling atmosphere and solid acting performances. Directors Benson and Moorehead mainly tell the story of two pals who end up in slightly different shit creaks and the leaps in time are a clever tool used for telling us what is most important for leading a happy life. An inventive indie movie that will give fans of this genre pleasure. (01/16/2021)

This is a sci-fi thriller about two rescuers who have recently gotten caught up in several cases related to a new drug causing people to sink into other worlds after using it. Another classic motif of the sci-fi genre is packed onto the attractive mysterious theme, which the film remarkably combines with an emotional drama about the friendship of two of the main characters and their difficult problems, and with action/horror passages that amount to “good value for the money". The film could have turned out to be a stupid Hollywood b-movie, but skillful directing, a clever script (except for one crutch), the great Anthony Mackie (he gets significantly more screen time than Dornan, and it's a pity that the film doesn't connect their characters more in the story) and the absence of pathos make the film an impressive authorial work, which, despite the presence of several clichés, is original and fresh. (10/21/2019)

One of the most original sci-fi concepts in recent years (the idea with the pineal gland was a pleasant surprise :D). That's why it's a shame that it didn’t translate into an excellent film. I’d be lying if I said the first half didn’t offer above-average quality. Here, the creators started an interesting, mysterious game with the audience that had something to it. The central acting duo is enjoyable (although, Jamie Dornan is a more prominent character, so it’s disappointing that he gets less screen time), there are intriguing verbal ideas and turns, making this part well-executed script-wise. The psychedelic audiovisuals fit the film incredibly well; although the budget isn't massive, it’s a decent standard for the money. However, the problem arises in the second half, especially the ending, which looked like a cake made by a dog and a cat. Here, the duo of Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead seemed to have run out of ideas, as if their creative spark was gone. It's a shame. The potential was there. Still, I’ll give it a slightly above-average 6/10. (04/19/2021)