Rating: 9.5/10
**This article contains spoilers**
This weekend, Ryan Coogler’s latest film, “Sinners,” released in theaters and offered audiences a wild ride through a genre-blending vampire film that enchants, thrills and terrifies.
The film stars Michael B. Jordan as twin brothers Smoke and Stack, who return to their hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi, in 1932. The brothers are looking for a fresh start after fighting in World War I and stealing money from Chicago gangsters.
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They team up with their musically gifted younger cousin Sammie (Miles Caton) to start a juke joint for the local Black community. Unsettling strangers interrupt their opening night, and the celebration soon turns into a nightmare.
One of the biggest surprises of “Sinners” is that it’s not simply a thrilling new vampire film; it’s a celebration of Black music and the power and history it holds. This manifests not only in the soundtrack, which is filled with blues music, but in captivating musical numbers throughout the story.
In an interview with NBC News, Coogler spoke about how the film and its use of music are a tribute to his late uncle.
“He meant a lot to me,” Coogler said in the interview. “He passed away right after I was in post-production on ‘Creed’ and all he would do is play blues records.”
The pinnacle of this is around the halfway mark of the movie, where Sammie performs a song at the juke joint that transcends time and summons Black musicians from both the past and the future to play with him.
The moment is truly an unbelievable experience that elevates the film even before the supernatural threat emerges.
“Sinners” revels in its period-piece setting, making Clarksdale feel like a living and breathing entity all on its own. The juke joint where most of the story takes place feels like its own character within the story, celebrating and suffering along with the characters.
As both Smoke and Stack, Jordan brings about one of his best performances in years, adding both his movie star charisma and genuine emotional weight to the film’s most dramatic scenes.
“I did every scene like four times, fives times,” Jordan said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “I think the balance between going back and forth was difficult at times but you find a rhythm and after a while it was second nature. I had a lot of fun.”
Despite the liveliness of the community, there is an underlying sense of dread leading up to the vampire attack. The blues score is haunting throughout, letting the audience know that what Smoke and Stack are trying to build isn’t going to last.
The film teases that something isn’t quite right throughout its first half, but only switches gears to an action-horror film in its second half. It is a slow-burning story rather than a rollercoaster, making it distinct from other movies in every genre it embodies.
The vampires and their ringleader, Remmick (Jack O’Connell), present a perfectly compelling, unsettling threat. Both the physical and emotional threats they pose are heightened in the movie’s second half as more and more of the main cast turn to their side, and sacrifices must be made to stop them.
The only real misstep in “Sinners” is that it could have benefited from a stronger presence of the vampires throughout the story and more action. Considering how tense and exciting the final confrontation was, it would’ve been fun to see more battles with the monsters.
The movie has both a mid and post-credits scene, with the former serving as a true epilogue to the established story and character arcs. It’s certainly worth sticking around to get a satisfying conclusion.
“Sinners” offers original ideas, a blend of genres and rich stories and themes executed with excellence by an experienced director and talented cast. It solidifies itself as a must-see film and likely one of the best of the year.
