Review: Synchronic is a time-bending slow burn of a sci-fi thriller

Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan star as New Orleans paramedics who encounter a series of bizarre, gruesome accidents in the sci-fi thriller Synchronic.

Chances are you missed Synchronic, the latest sci-fi film written and directed by indie filmmakers Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, when it was released in limited theaters and drive-ins last month. Not only were many theaters still shut down because of the pandemic, the filmmakers themselves made the unusual move of warning potential viewers (via Instagram) of the health risks associated with indoor movie theaters. ("We personally wouldn't go to an indoor theater, so we can't encourage you to," they wrote.)

It was admirably responsible of them, but it did severely limit the audience, especially since the film's distributor inexplicably opted not to release it simultaneously on VOD-now a common practice in these pandemic times. And that's a shame, because Synchronic is a smart, inventive, thought-provoking film, featuring standout performances from co-stars Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan.

(Mostly mild spoilers below, with a couple of significant plot twists below the gallery. We'll give you a heads up when we get there.)

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