Review: 'Synchronic' is a twisty thriller that goes in fascinating directions, and gives Anthony Mackie a meaty role to make his own

The thriller “Synchronic” brings a chilling atmosphere to an intriguing puzzle story, and represents a step up the ladder for the micro-budget masters Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (“The Endless”).

Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan star as Steve and Dennis, paramedics working the sleazier parts of New Orleans, riding their ambulance from one emergency situation to another. Dennis is the family man, married to Tara (Katie Aselton), with an 18-year-old daughter, Brianna (Ally Ioannides), and a new baby. Steve is a free agent, though he’s not bouncing back from drunken one-night stands as well as he used to, and soon learns he has an inoperable brain tumor.

On their calls, the paramedics have noticed a surge in overdose cases, particularly of a new designer drug, called Synchronic. When they’ve encountered people OD’ing from that drug, they’ve also noticed odd occurrences, like inexplicable wounds; for one woman, it’s a snake bite in a hotel room, while for one man, it’s a sword.

When Brianna goes missing, apparently after trying the drug, Steve takes it upon himself to find as much Synchronic as he can. He soon finds he’s got competition: A chemist, Dr. Kermani (Ramiz Monsef), who developed the drug and is now on a mission to destroy any remaining doses.

That’s when Steve figures out the secret of Synchronic. And, no, I’m not going to tell you the secret here. It’s worth discovering it along with Steve.

Benson and Moorhead are co-directors and co-editors (along with their regular co-director, Michael Felker). Benson is also the screenwriter, while Moorhead is the cinematographer. This division of labor means the filmmakers are attentive to every detail, from the squalor of New Orleans drug dens to the chatter on the ambulance’s radio — all of it building a gritty, authentic world in which the mystery plays out.

“Synchronic” works, though, because the filmmakers have put their trust in Mackie, and the man who now wields Captain America’s shield gives an effective performance as a man determined to find the answers no matter how weird things get. And they do get pretty weird in a story whose twists are always surprising but never too outlandish, which is a tricky balancing act.

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’Synchronic’

★★★

Opens Friday, October 23, in theaters where open. Rated R for drug content and language throughout, and for some violent/bloody images. Running time: 102 minutes.