Sammie Moore joins his twin cousins, Smoke and Stack, to open a juke joint in 1930s Mississippi. A vampire has other plans in Ryan Coogler’s affecting vampire film, Sinners.
Sammie Moore has a musical gift, one suppressed by his preacher father. When his cousins, Smoke and Stack (collectively known as the “Smokestack twins” return from Chicago after seven years with a pocket full of cash and a truck of goods to open a juke joint, he jumps onboard. Cooger takes his time with Sinners, fully establishing the three as Sammie and the twins collected their trusted friends for their business, knowing an amazing cast of characters and their world well before the darkness descends to destroy their creation.
Michael B. Jordan has never been better, perfect in playing both twins. The dual performance never feels like a gimmick, but two complete characters. They are smart, sexy, sleek, and dangerous with a hidden hurt underneath. The Smokestack Twins are the flashy show, but Sami is the soul, with newcomer Miles Canton anchoring Sinners. Coogler gathers a hell of a supporting cast. A sensuous Hailey Steinfeld and a storied Wunmi Mosaku, always a favorite from Lovecraft Country and His House, have a depth to themselves and build the twins. I was overjoyed to have Delroy Lindo in a large supporting role! There is a history within the characters, lived lives hinted at and discussed, far more than victims of the times and situation. We care for all, making the future pain all the more affecting.
Coogler, in his first non-franchise film since Fruitvale Station, has expertly crafted a powerful film. Sinners is a masterpiece of every element coming together to give a heft, a massive emotional weight without any fallacy.. It is about being a minority during the Depression in the Segregationist South. Threat looms, built into the texture of the film, but is rarely directly stated, never on the nose. Everything is in context. It speaks to cultural appropriation, the dangers of assimilation, and the minority experience in dealing with these. I note here I’m a White man, so I won’t be the best person to speak on such. I’ll let others speak to this all in better authority.
The depth of character and culture is further deepened by the incredible world-building technical aspects. The sensational soundscape of Sinners breathes a special life into Sinners. The songs, the score, and the surrounding soundtrack whirl around, embracing the viewer. In many ways, Sinners is nearly a musical. The blues are the building blocks of the film, intertwined into the hows and whys of the characters, their lives, their culture, their community, and even the wants of the villains. Sinners has a beautiful soul bursting through with Sammi’s songs. One particular song elevates the audience’s soul, centers the film, and becomes a centerpiece of creation in a hypnotic, dizzying sequence. A powerful film cements as Power in the sweeping, stirring moment. I can’t describe it; it needs to be seen and felt in an auditorium. A spot of lore about the power of music opens the film, and this sequence realizes it. The song, the sound, and the cinematography merge into one for the ages. Ludwig Goransson’s evoking twang of a score drives. The wider soundscape builds the ambience of the south. Having lived in the south, the wall of sound in the birds and insects is ever-present in life and film. From this world-building atmosphere to each beat of the songs, the crackles of the fires, the timber of the voices, the overall full sound design is immersive. It’s the first film since Dune Part 1 with posts stating, “I’m seeing it again, but this time in IMAX so I can experience the sound.”
Not just the sound, but the cinematography harkens to the South. Whether the wide-open southern fields to closing in on the juke joint, Autumn Durald Arkapaw’s cinematography is fire. The beauty of the deep, contrasting colors burns. It all comes together that one almost forgets we’re not watching just a racial historical drama, but a horror film.
This is a horror film, a violent vampire movie at that. Coogler states From Dusk ‘til Dawn was an inspiration. It’s noticeable. Don’t think, despite some plot point similarities, that it’s a stealth remake. Similar, but its own thing. As a vampire film, it delivers in spades. Blood flows, mostly practical effects wow with a Fright Night style look to the vampires. Jack O’Connell leads the group of blood suckers; how they are used speaks to continue the themes. It packs a wallop physically and emotionally. It’s exhilarating to a fault. But yet sad; as horror fans, we want the fangs, but also dread the possibility of losing people we’ve come to care for. I legitimately welled up for portions of the back end, and cheered at big moments just the same.
Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is a thrilling triumph of a film. It’s filled with top-notch performances, a lush cinematography and production design, with a strong script that brings plenty of both blood and message. The best sound design in recent memory pushes Sinners to the high tier of cinema, easily the best vampire film since Let the Right One In.
Three years ago, Everything Everywhere All At Once was released. I was worried the strange, original, and emotionally connected film would be forgotten when award season rolled around. Luckily, it wasn’t, with an incredible return at the Academy Awards. Sinners has the same opportunity. It’s the rare film that works both as an incredible genre film and is cross-culturally appealing with near perfection in every manner; amazing performances anchoring a beautifully shot and impeccably scripted, emotionally relevant tale with perhaps the greatest soundscape in recent years.
PS. Stay through all the credits. A necessary coda, absolutely part of the narrative, is found mid-credits, with a nice second surprise to leave the theatre with at the end. Both turned the welling up into full-blown tears.