01-20-2025, 06:21 AM
Watched SYNCHRONIC, a horror-adjacent sci-fi movie with Anthony Mackie. The first 30 minutes are really good. It builds its world and lore, and explores the two main leads' lives, a couple of EMTs who had bigger dreams, dealing with some squalid shit in NOLA. Sometimes it's not clear if the characters are having visions, remembering things, or a third plot-based experience. And that's fine, it's really good. Then the 2nd act turn hits, and subtlety and nuance leave the frame. It changes from something beautifully shot to something much more workmanlike, borderline Asylum production, but with better lighting. The film changes its focus to exploring the mechanics of their central plot conceit, rather than the stuff that made act 1 flow so well.
There are several interesting ideas they touch on, and a couple are explored, a few others remain untouched. This is a good movie that could have been great. I wonder if having two directors, there may have been a hand-off at some point that accounts for the inconsistency in tone and content.
There are several interesting ideas they touch on, and a couple are explored, a few others remain untouched. This is a good movie that could have been great. I wonder if having two directors, there may have been a hand-off at some point that accounts for the inconsistency in tone and content.