By Ryan Leon, April 29, 2025
Known for his work on “Black Panther” and “Creed,” Ryan Coogler’s prowess directing action oozes through the screen in the new film “Sinners,” blending high-octane thrills with elements of horror throughout the 137-minute runtime.
Written and directed by Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan, “Sinners” follows the tale of twin brothers Elijah and Elias Moore — more commonly referred to as Smoke and Stack — in Clarksdale, Mississippi, during the early 1930s. Jordan delivers a strong performance as the two men, who have recently returned home from Chicago, Illinois. His ability to capture emotions and an individual personality for two different characters is a joy to behold.
Smoke and Stack are heavily motivated by making money. Presumably earned through criminal activities, they use cash to purchase a house in their hometown of Clarksdale and use their newly acquired home as a venue to host a club with live music and dancing for the community, where most of the film takes place.
Prior to integral scenes from the club, the film’s antagonist is introduced. Played by Jack O’Connell, the villainous Remmick is a devious individual, manipulating people to do what he wants with his witty charm. Not much is known about Remmick at first, but his intentions become clear shortly after his introduction.
A kind of supernatural force makes its way to Smoke and Stack’s doorstep. Chaos eventually ensues, but not before Coogler gives the audience a chance to experience steamy encounters between a few characters in true horror flick fashion that also earn the film its R rating. While some sexual content is to be expected in a horror movie, comedy is never excluded, and Coogler does a good job implementing funny moments that give the audience a break from the suspense. The jokes used throughout the film never feel forced, and a lot of the characters who try to be funny do so in a natural way.
Two of the funnier characters are Delta Slim, played by Delroy Lindo, and Cornbread, played by Omar Miller. Lindo and Miller’s performances are a welcome addition since both are able to provide the audience with laughs so effortlessly because of their excellent line delivery and comedic timing. Part of that may be due to Coogler’s writing, but Lindo and Miller bring their own kind of flare to Slim and Cornbread’s lines.
Although Jordan plays two of the film’s main characters, actor Miles Caton provides depth to the plot while playing the film’s underlying lead Sammie Moore, Smoke and Stack’s little cousin. The child of Reverend Jedidiah, played by Saul Williams, Sammie just wants a break from his work at the church to play music.
Another stand-out character is Stack’s love interest, Mary. Played by Hailee Steinfeld, Mary is a mysterious young woman who is desperate to be with Stack after having prior relations with him. What starts off as a normal attraction between two past lovers is soon altered by a shocking turn of events — one audience members must view for themselves to discover.
One criticism of the film is it tends to fall into familiar territory. While not entirely bad, it does implement a few horror cliches, such as people getting locked out of a building mistakenly, a who-done-it scenario, some cheesy dialogue and jump scares.
There are plenty of jump scares that are earned, however. Some can be seen coming from a mile away, but a few may catch others by surprise.
When it comes to the technical side of things, the film crew does exceptional work. The sound design doesn’t miss a beat; sounds of bullets being fired, people fighting and doors flying open and being busted down are properly delivered in a realistic manner. There’s even a moment when a character is describing a lynching where sounds of spectators and the victim can be heard simultaneously with the speaker’s words.
The set design perfectly portrays a 1930s version of the South during the infamous Jim Crow era, and the costumes and makeup used in the film are believable and professionally done. A mix of CGI and prosthetic effects make characters in the film appear more gruesome and scarier.
One of the film’s best traits is its cinematography. Autumn Durald captures stunning visuals. Every shot is framed well, and every scene is filmed in a way that leaves the viewer awestruck. The cinematography accomplished in “Sinners” might challenge not just other films in the horror genre, but films with entirely different genres as well.
Ludwig Göransson’s original score and soundtrack focused on the blues is an integral part of the film. Caton’s performance as Sammie isn’t solely tied down to memorizing casually spoken lines; he also sings on multiple occasions. During his rendition of “I Lied to You,” Caton brings even more life to Sammie. His passion for music is what drives him most.
Surprisingly, there is a mid-credits scene and a post credits scene, so stick around for some additional content that may potentially set up a sequel.
A tale about the soul just as much as the supernatural, “Sinners” is a well-made film with plenty of scares, jokes, action and a fantastic ending that will leave audience members satisfied.
Feature image courtesy of Warner Bros.
