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Sinners Synopsis: “Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.”

There’s no doubt Ryan Coogler is one of the most talented and confident young directors working today. His work from Fruitvale Station, to Black Panther, and even Creed has brought audiences films that are not only highly entertaining with their action and aesthetic but deeply poignant in their messaging. Sinners is no different; it’s Coogler at his most ambitious, creating a vampire film that is unlike those who have come before it. Slick with its style and powerful in its execution, the journey this film takes you on won’t soon be forgotten. Plucking all of the best parts of vampire folklore and injecting it with booming bluesy music, Sinners elevates the genre to new heights that only Coogler could achieve.

It has never been a better time to be a vampire lover, with Nosferatu released last year, and Interview With A Vampire hitting its third season, Sinners arrives at a new renaissance of the genre. Focusing on the lives of twin brothers Smoke and Stack, both played by Michael B. Jordan, in the 1930’s they return to their southern hometown and find there’s music in the air and something darker lurking in the shadows. Sharply dressed and often sharper-tongued, the twins have quite a reputation from those who cross their paths. Soldiers turned bootleggers, the brothers are looking to open a juke joint in an old sawmill on a plot of land being sold by a rather unlikable white man. With the help of their musically talented cousin Sammie (Miles Canton), their opening night catches the attention of unwanted eyes.

There isnt a single moment of Sinners where I wasn’t completely blown away; with Coogler not only directing but also writing his newest film, he takes ambitious swings that pay off throughout the film’s 138-minute runtime. What is most unique is the use of music, shown through Sammie, a young man who is seeking a way out of the path laid before him, wanting to find his own voice and purpose. Coogler makes it known that the film is deeply rooted in the past, present, and future of Black American heritage, with music being the way this is expressed. Sammie, growing up in a religious home, has a glorified image of his cousins in his mind, two men he admires for their lifestyle without fully knowing how they achieved it. His guitar is his weapon, awakening a sense of purpose inside of him; little does he know how impactful his talents will become.

Sinners pulls together a cast that brings a tremendous amount of talent to the table; not only does Michael B. Jordan turn out my favorite dual role, dethroning The Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan, his ability to make both twins distinctly different is beyond impressive. Their differences at times are subtle, with Stack being quieter in his approaches, while Smoke has a magnetic bad boy sensibility to him. Much like the infamous Kray twins, Smoke and Stack are not without their own sins; their intentions may differ, but their end goal of success is the same. As the film goes along, each member of the cast has their moment to introduce themselves, the best being Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo) and Annie (Wunmi Mosaku). Slim brings the comedic aspects of the film out, and played by an actor like Lindo, these render some of the most compelling bits of the film. Mosaku is the film’s immovable anchor, breathing life into Sinners most heartfelt moments through her unshakable grief.

There’s no shortage of vampire goodness in Sinners, and for those looking to catch just that, there’s plenty to keep you on the edge of your seat. What the film does effectively is let the looming threat of darkness slowly set in: was that two fireflies in a shadowed room, or something much more dangerous? It takes all the most terrifying attributes of vampirism, allowing bits of humanity to flow from their forked tongues, making them an empathetic predator that is as charming as it is deadly. They tell you exactly what you want to hear, worming their way into your mind with a false sense of reassurance or, in this case, community, leaving your freedom behind for eternal togetherness. Shown best in Remmick (Jack O’Connell), he makes himself seen when it benefits him and is no stranger to an Irish dance; his glowing red eyes compel you to drink in every bit of screen time he has.

Being deeply rooted in the American South, the film makes it aware to the audience that Smoke and Stack, along with their friends and family, have more than just vampires to look out for. Sinners scratches the surface of the hardships and hatred Black Americans suffered through during the times of Jim Crow, shown in Slim as he recounts horrific treatment by the hands of white people, specifically the klan. This piece of storytelling is integral to the film’s plot, and without it, the tense exchanges between the twins and Remmick wouldn’t be as dynamic. As vampires whisper sweet nothings in the hopes of turning them, there’s a much more sinister devil working in the background. Tension builds throughout the film, leading to a final act that combines each piece that Coogler has laid before the audience, and it’s as satisfying as it is emotional.

From the film’s visuals and score, there’s no lack of shifting aspect ratios with clear indicators of when Sinners is about to melt your face off. Coogler crafts a dance floor sequence within the film that takes full advantage of a larger-than-life screen, with music that pulses so hard your heart rate might change rhythm. It’s a spiritual experience for every single character inside The Smokestack twins’ establishment as well as the audience. His passion for film making and its power is seen from the first frame to the very last. Each moment of Sinners is perfectly captured in the lens of cinematographer Autumn Durald, not shying away from intense moments, whether they be steamy scenes of intimacy or lingering bits of paranoia. Paired with yet another masterful score by composer Ludwig Göransson from the get-go, it’s importance to the film’s storytelling doesn’t go unnoticed. Whether it’s subtle twangs in the background or get-out-of-your-seat soul, the way Göransson’s score allows the many characters in Sinners to express their emotions is remarkable.

Overall, Sinners is an original film that audiences yearn for; it’s a large-scale blockbuster with a story that has layered meaning. In a sea of reboots, rehashes, or adaptations, this film stands out for the confidence that Coogler injects into it. Overflowing with kinetic performances, bold music, and larger-than-life visuals, Sinners is Coogler’s masterpiece.

Rating: 5/5

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Sinners releases April 18th, 2025.