Yula Fernandes
Singing vampires, religious overtures and two Michael B. Jordans? What more could a girl want! Sinners is the latest from writer-director Ryan Coogler and I was hooked from the beginning.
Set in 1930s Mississippi we see twins, Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan), return home from Chicago to host a night that no one will ever forget. With this time-sensitive endeavour on their hands the duo round up a motley assortment of old friends (and lovers) to help create their own juke joint in an abandoned mill that the twins bought from a definitely not racist old white man. The pièce de résistance for the evening is a performance by their devilishly talented nephew Sammie (Miles Caton).
Everything seems to be going according to plan until a few friendly folks hear the sweet music and come knocking. The night quickly devolves into a clash of teeth and wooden stakes. Throw in a hefty amount of blood and a surprising amount of saliva and you’ve got a hit.
The music in this film was outstanding. Composer Ludwig Göransson really pulled out all the stops. It’s woven into the plot beautifully and there’s a particular montage which gloriously blends anachronistic music and visuals into our 1930s rural setting. Twangy guitars and honeyed voices meld together with heavier beats and electric tones.
The score breathes and moves and compels you to do the same. You could close your eyes and the music would tell you its own story. My eyes however were peeled open à la A Clockwork Orange because I did not want to miss a single second of the wondrous audio-visual experience unfolding in front of me. All of this is to say, I won’t be surprised if the soundtrack ends up on my 2025 Spotify wrapped.
So, the music is part of their lives and flows through their veins. Unfortunately, for our protagonists, so does blood.
One thing about me is that I love a vampire. The sparkly sort, the suave debonair ones, the rotting walking corpses, the otherworldly monsters that lurk in the dark, give me all of them. Sinners could have been another vampire movie that made people groan and roll their eyes, but instead it takes classic vampire lore and brings it back to its former glory.
Instead of being wishy-washy with the limitations and capabilities of the vampires, Sinners is clear cut. The vampires abide by certain rules such as needing to be invited in but they also have weaknesses that can be exploited. Overall though, they are still enchanting, sweet-talking creatures that will play you a little tune and then tear your face off and drain you dry. Such fun!
Ryan Coogler knows how to make a charismatic antagonist and Irish vampire Remmick (Jack O’Connell) is no different. But maybe I’m just weak for glinting red eyes and singing and dancing around a bonfire.
I caught myself grinning maniacally throughout this movie and then found myself sad that it was ending! It does however have an uber-satisfying finale and I’ve also gained a healthy fear of banjo wielding strangers that ask to come inside.
If you’re bored of the constant remakes, sequels and adaptations and want to sink your fangs into something fresh and thrumming with life then this is the movie for you!
Year: 2025
Rating: R
Running Time: 138 MIN
Genre: Thriller
Director: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O'Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, Delroy Lindo
Production Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures