Low-budget sci-fi is a genre in which Many things can go wrong, but relatable characters and smart storytelling are some of the keys to success. This rare combination is found in ’s . Led by and , the film follows paramedics Steve and Dennis, who try to that has been pushing the mortality rates up in Louisiana.

Benson and Moorhead expertly weaveAnd it all works out because of Mackie and Dornan’s dynamic as partners who have become family. Ultimately, the quartet produced a remarkable sci-fi flick that got lost in the pandemic VOD releases. Gearing up for and Mackie’s , this is the perfect time to catch up on Synchronic.

Mackie’s Steve and Dornan’s Dennis Steve’s life has been harsh and plagued by loss—both his parents and little sister died a long time ago. To cap things off, but Steve copes and shields himself by being a womanizer and a loner. Dennis, in turn, is a family man who just welcomed his second child. But even when his life might seem a bit more pieced together, he’s still struggling to find common ground with both his wife Tara () and their eldest daughter Brianna ().

Even when Steve's and Dennis’ life situations are almost opposite, . More than partners, they’re already brothers, with tough-but-sweet Mackie complementing Dornan’s passive-but-caring. After they discover the synthetic drug—called Synchronic—Steve and Dennis face challenges that separate their journeys. They both try to blur barriers, but while Steve tries to do it with time, Dennis fights to do it with his own wife after their daughter Brianna disappears.

Benson’s script is full of details regarding the functioning of Synchronic. With initial scenes that indicate the movie might , it’s then complemented by The drug works more intensely on young people, displacing them from time completely, whereas adults are only able to see the past. This is why the body count keeps increasing, and in this way, Synchronic succeeds as sci-fi horror. Showing what happens to adults who have interacted with savage versions of the past,to remind us time isn’t to be meddled with.

As expected, the use of Steve’s cancer allows him to travel to the past as well, and he makes it his mission to bring her back. While he starts working alone, the eventual reeling in of Dennis is organic, and the latter never doubts his best friend’s word. all the way back during the Civil War and returns her to the present safely, but with him staying behind. It isn’t sad, for Steve, at his core, was .

In the end, Synchronic’s makes it a worthy low-budget sci-fi horror to rewatch—for its strength lies in its modesty. It’s also a great addition to Mackie, Dornan, and . The film’s commentary on how and grow together is a life lesson that, in these times of adversity, needs to be reinforced. This way, Steve is able to live his final moments as a hero—while closing a causality time loop—and and make things right with them. Thanks to Mackie and Dornan’s chemistry, this time-exploring duo is a pleasure to watch while solving the Synchronic mystery together.