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Prescient is a thought-provoking independent sci-fi thriller released in 2015. The film explores identity, memory, and the power of technology to shape human experience. It is directed by Hann-Shi Lem and stars Michael Piccirilli, Pamelyn Chee, and Anthony Bishop. The movie opens up in the year 2020 with the world facing an existential threat from an unpredictable quantum computer. Ran by the Global Integrated Analytics, the computer, called Alpha, can simulate human behavior and predict future events with an incredible degree of accuracy. Alpha has been tasked with predicting the next global catastrophe, and whatever it finds must be stopped at all costs. In order to do this, the research team at the facility builds a simulator around the computer that recreates virtual-reality environments to test various intervention scenarios.

Our protagonist, Jim Beale (played by Michael Piccirilli) is a brilliant scientist struggling to bring his own vision to life – a device that could revolutionize energy generation. Working with an investor and fellow researcher, Matty (played by Eric Newsome), Jim is hopeful that his invention will work, but he is also dealing with the loss of his wife in a car accident. Hoping to find a way to bring her back, Jim spends his off-hours creating a prototype of a time machine which he will test at an abandoned factory. He believes that if he could bring back the exact moment before his wife's death, he could prevent it from happening.

During his experiment, he meets a mysterious woman called Abby (Pamelyn Chee) who seems to know more about Jim's device than he does. Abby warns Jim that he must be careful because meddling with the fabric of time can have unforeseeable and dangerous consequences. Jim, of course, is not one to heed warnings, and he decides to push ahead with the test. As an unforeseeable event occurs, he finds himself transported back in time to the very moment before his wife's accident.

But the world Jim finds there is an altogether different one – a dystopian world where people live in fear of armed authorities and technology has overtaken everything. In this new world, Abby, who is now revealed to be an activist fighting against Alpha, has a mission to stop Jim from using his time machine. She believes that doing so will have catastrophic consequences that will destroy the future and change the course of human history.

As Jim struggles to adjust to the new reality of this world, he also discovers that his identity is not what it seems. There are secrets buried within his past that he has yet to come to terms with, and memories that he has yet to reconcile. But he must put that aside, at least for now, as he and Abby work together to avert a global catastrophe. The stakes are high, and the time to act is running out. With the help of the other activists, they must stop Alpha, and even if they succeed, will Jim be able to get back to his own time?

The cinematography, special effects, and background score of this indie sci-fi thriller elevate the experience. But it is the film's exploration of the consequences of altering time and powerful AI that makes it a standout. The story brings up compelling ethical and philosophical questions about the power of technology to shape our world and the role it plays in our lives. It's a complex story that takes us on an intense journey filled with surprising twists and turns that keep the viewer in suspense.

Overall, Prescient is a fascinating film that delivers suspense, intrigue, and drama all wrapped up in a stimulating story that engages both the mind and the heart. The performances of the actors are praiseworthy, and the direction is top-notch. It is a film that deserves to be seen and discussed, and it will leave you questioning what you thought you knew about the power of technology and the mysteries of time.

Prescient is a 2015 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 21 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.0.