7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Two New Orleans paramedics' lives are ripped apart after encountering a series of horrific deaths linked to a designer drug with bizarre, otherworldly effects.
Starring: Jamie Dornan, Anthony Mackie, Katie Aselton, Ally Ioannides, Bill Oberst Jr.Horror | 100% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
The Endless kinda sorta flirted with science fiction in its tale of a so-called “UFO cult” awaiting the (also so-called) “end of the world”, but what gave the film its visceral immediacy was not any whiz bang special effects but rather the relationship between two brothers, played by co-directors and co-producers Justin Benson (who scripted) and Aaron Moorhead. Benson and Moorhead may have forsaken appearing in front of the camera in Synchronic, but it’s once again the relationship between two guys rather than any amazing special effects (though this film does have some) that gives this tale co-produced and co-directed by the pair (with Benson once again scripting) that also kinda sorta flirts with science fiction whatever real emotional impact it attains, albeit arguably in a bit more contrived fashion than was the case with The Endless. In this particular story the pair aren’t “brothers” in the biological sense, but they’re definitely comrades in arms, with both Dennis Dannelly (Jamie Dornan) and Steve Denube (Anthony Mackie) working as EMTs in a New Orleans riven by the use of a new designer drug called Synchronic. It takes a while for Dennis and Steve to realize the carnage they’ve been witnessing is due to the drug as they show up at a series of locations where people are either already dead or in some cases gruesomely injured in ways that can’t easily be explained. Ultimately adding into the drama are two interlinked aspects: Steve turns out to have a terminal brain tumor sitting atop his pineal gland, and Dennis’ adult daughter Brianna (Ally Ioannides) disappears after having ingested the drug.
Synchronic is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Well Go USA with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. While the Making of featurette has a few brief glimpses at what looks like some kind of digital camera, I couldn't see the make or model, and the IMDb doesn't offer any information. I did dredge up some photos supposedly of the shoot that show a Red Camera, but I don't consider that authoritative. I'm assuming this was finished at a 2K DI, but if anyone has verifiable information about either the camera or resolution of the DI, Private Message me and I'll happily post an update to the review. While there has been copious tweaking to the imagery in various ways, the result is often quite sharp and well delineated, though there are intentional downturns in quality with regard to some elements like the videos that Steve takes to document his "travels". There's also a slightly desaturated, grainy look a lot of the time (see screenshot 2), that provides a bit of texture but which may slightly deflate fine detail levels in midrange and wide shots. The CGI documenting the changes in time periods is very well done, and some of the supplements address the technical challenges involved. Despite a number of rather pronounced changes in lighting, I noticed no issues with banding.
Synchronic features a nicely immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that offers its showiest aspects in some of the time traveling moments, as is probably to be expected. Some of the most cacophonous effects come relatively late in the film when Steve finally manages to track down Brianna, but there are a number of outdoor scenes in particular (throughout various historical epochs) where ambient environmental effects dot the surround. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout the presentation. Optional English subtitles are available.
Synchronic has some really cool looking visual effects, which kind of ironically may help the film to overcome some of its deficits in storytelling, since there is definitely interest generated with the characters of Steve and Dennis, but perhaps not quite enough information doled out about them to deliver the emotional gut punch that's obviously being aimed for. Fans of The Endless may well want to check this out, and for them the good news is technical merits are solid and this is the rare Well Go USA Blu-ray release with a decent supply of supplements.
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