SYNCHRONIC

US, 2019, 102 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Mackie, Jamie Dornan, Katie Aselton, Ally Ioannides, Ramiz Monsefl
Directed by Justin Benson, Aaron Morehead.

Synchronic is actually the name of a highly powerful, deadly drug. It requires a detailed chemical process, the ‘syn’ of its name, synthetic. However, there is also the allusion to ‘chronos’, the Greek word for time. Synchronic has a time-travelling effect.

This is science fiction. It is futuristic science-fiction.

There are two paramedics, played by Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan. They are experiencing difficult times in their work, tending victims of synchronic. Mackie is Steve, but suffering from a terminal illness which he doesn’t let on to Dennis, Jamie Dornan. Dennis is having marital problems. And his daughter disappears – with the synchronic connection.

The main feature of the science fiction is that when anyone takes the drug, they disappear. And the novelty of the screenplay is that they disappear into the past. Steve has been confronted by the creator of synchronic, who is going around the country buying back the drugs. Steve has five tablets and decides not only not to destroy them but to try them out.

In the further novelty of the disappearance into the past is that the taker is transported into that very spot – and in a variety of pasts, back into the ice age, back into the era of the Conquistadors, the 1812 war with Britain…

And the drama of the action then is Steve’s decision to go to where Dennis’s daughter disappeared, to take a tablet, to take one into the past for her, getting her back. And, this leads to some dangerous action, confrontations, split-second timing and rescue. But, what about Steve?

The writers-directors, Justin Benson and Aaron Morehead, made a tantalising science fiction, endless. This one is not so tantalising, but it is imaginative.

1. The science fiction, futuristic fiction? Human interactions?

2. The title, the production of synthetic drugs, the makers, the customers, the effects? Synchronic and its inventor, his wanting to buy again all the sales? Steve denying, keeping the drugs? The audience seeing the couple at the opening, in the bedroom, together, the drugs, the special effects for the effect, destruction?

3. Steve and Dennis, paramedics, their work together, previous ambitions, their friendship? Dennis and his marriage, his daughter?

4. Their work, those affected by the drugs, the unsafe areas in New Orleans, the violence, the effect of the drugs? The discovery of the body of the dead drug maker?

5. Dennis, his relationship with his wife, with his daughter, drugs, her disappearance? Dennis calm, his wife upset, his sitting and typing? His search? Going back into himself, explaining his tensions with his wife to Steve?

6. Steve, the medical examination, terminal illness? The consequences? With the drugs? His decision to take them?

7. Steve, the video, his talking to Denis, visualising his taking the drugs, his disappearance, the time passing, his reappearance?

8. The range of locations, moving to different places in the room, the year of the Spanish conquerors, the ice age, the mysterious religious characters? The war of 1812? The visualising of these episodes and the effect on Steve, fear, the cold, getting back on time?

9. Steve and Dennis talking, the revelation about his illness, the effect on Dennis? His wanting his daughter?

10. The few remaining pills, Steve finding out where Brianna disappeared, his taking the pills, the war, the bombardment, escaping, encountering Brianna, the approach of the soldier, his attitude towards the black man, slave? The rescue, the position, her taking the pill, her return?

11. Dennis, Steve’s disappearance, Brianna’s appearance, Steve and his mysterious final appearance, vanishing? Self-sacrifice?

12. For fans of science fiction, fantasy?