Sinners is a masterclass in filmmaking. It is somehow dark, sexy, thrilling, intense, emotional, intriguing, captivating, and terrifying all at once.
Sinners perfectly blends multiple genres to create a movie like you have never seen before. It boasts a powerful message about society and how people can drag others down while offering up a terrifying vampire story. It is dark, sexy, twisted, emotional, and honestly, a whole lot of fun. There are laugh-out-loud moments and others that will bring you to tears.
In Sinners, Michael B. Jordan brilliantly portrays twin brothers who have returned to the Deep South from Chicago. It doesn’t take long to realize that the Smoke Stack Twins are feared by many, as they work hard to set up the grand opening of their own Juke joint. What is meant to be the start of something wonderful quickly turns into a nightmare when vampires come looking for an invitation in.
There are a lot of fantastic things about this movie, from the acting to the genre-switching to the cinematography, but my favorite has to be the way writer-director Ryan Coogler utilizes aspect ratios to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Every time it shifted, I would sit forward in my chair and brace for what is about to happen.
This is a true masterclass in filmmaking as Coogler solidifies himself as one of the best working today. There are many reasons that Sinners should be seen on the biggest screen possible, but the aspect ratio shifts were clearly designed for IMAX, so if you want the best experience, see it that way.
One of the characters that really resonated with me in this film is Wunmi Mosaku’s Annie. I hesitate to share specifics for fear of spoilers, but it is revealed that she has gone through something no one should ever have to. As a mother, this cut me deep.
The way she portrays this pain made me want to jump into the film and give her a big hug. She is also great at switching gears, and playing sexy, sultry, and badass when she needs to be.
Speaking of sexy, Hailee Steinfeld does some things in Sinners that I don’t think I will ever unsee – which I am not sure is a good or a bad thing. Her chemistry with Michael B. Jordan is electric, and I loved every moment they were on screen together.
She is phenomenal as Mary. I particularly love that her own ancestry was brought into the storyline. I can only imagine what that must have meant for her as an actor.
Of course, to no one’s surprise, Michael B. Jordan is incredible in this movie. He does a wonderful job of creating two very different characters for the twins. If I didn’t know any better, I would have assumed it was two men playing these characters. The editors deserve all the awards because they are on screen together a lot, and it never looks like he is not standing next to himself.
Jordan is the star of the film. He is incredible. But viewers are sure to be drawn in by newcomer Miles Caton as well. I was shocked to learn that this is his first feature film, as he holds his own in scenes with powerhouse actors.
His character, Sammie Moore, truly is the heart of Sinners. A young man who just wants to play the Blues, even though his father, a pastor, believes that this is going to welcome in the devil. His is another character I wanted to reach through the screen and hug.
This film not only explores racism, but it also focuses on community in a bizarre and twisted way. When you learn the motives behind the vampires (or at least what they claim to be motivated by), it flips things on its head and turns this into a terrifying tale with a smidge of heart.
Jack O’Connell really brings it with his portrayal of Remmick, finding a way to be scary as all heck, but also make you feel bad for him – just a little bit.
Sinners is unlike anything I have ever seen before. It combines many genres, including horror, gothic, musical, thriller, drama, romance, comedy, and action to create something that will be talked about for years and years to come. I cannot imagine anyone being able to recreate this magic, although I think many will try.
Michael B. Jordan has proven himself as one of the best actors working today, but his performance in Sinners takes that all to the next level. His work is exceptional, and I truly cannot wait to see what he does next.
It should be noted that there are mid-credit and post-credit scenes in Sinners. Both of these are more than worth sticking around for, but the mid-credit one greatly changes the narrative of the story. It moved me to tears, so do not leave the theater before the lights come up. Trust me.
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About Sinners
Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers (Michael B. Jordan) return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
