There is a moment in Sinners, when the audience is transported through the use of the music. It is a scene that will be greatly talked about due to it’s use of camera work and the feelings it evokes. Ryan Coogler has gifted the audience with a movie that not only breaks traditional norms but shows the magic of storytelling.
Sinners tells the story of twins, Smoke and Stack (Micheal B. Jordan), who have returned to their hometown to to open a business. While the two have an interesting history with their town they have returned flaunting money, imported beers, and an agenda that is revealed later in the movie. The two brothers are able to use their money to get through some obstacles but there is one that money can not save them from.
From the outside, Sinners looks like a movie about two brothers trying to escape their past and create a new future for themselves. Coogler shows us, as the movie progresses, that no matter how far you try to run from your past, there will always be an obstacle that will try to pull you back. In this case, we have vampires, led by Remmick (John O’Connell) who offers the twins a better world if they are allowed inside the juke joint. What Remmick represents is a better world where everyone is equal, but there is a price to pay.
The look of the vampires is pretty simplistic which makes them all the more scarier. Coogler uses glowing red eyes to hypnotize the viewer into their world and this simple effect works. As they are exposed to the three staples of vampire movies: Holy water, garlic, and a wooden steak, we see the use of practical and computer effects to show their various states of demise. There is a moment that is reminiscent of John Carpenter’s The Thing, that pays homage to that film but twists the moment.
The final act of the movie is intense and chaotic! Coogler’s use of camera work and music builds the moment up to a crescendo that surpasses some great scenes we have recently seen in blockbuster movies. Coogler teaches us how being true to your vision, and using the tools that you have, can create something that will be talked about for years to come. Sinners will require multiple viewings to break down all of the layers buried in this movie.
MICHAEL B. JORDAN as Smoke in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “SINNERS,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
The cast in Sinners is phenomenal. Michael B. Jordan’s portrayal of the twins, Smoke and Stack, is unique in terms of how each twin acts or the character traits they have. Miles Caton plays Preacher Boy Sammie, and he is the heart of the movie and his performance exudes emotion and pain simultaneously. Annie (Wunmi Mosaku) also helps to not only center the film but center the brothers. We learn about her relation with Smoke and why these two have a unique bond. Hallie Stainfeld as Mary gives a performance that is strong and on par with the talent that she is surrounded by.
The movie does have two end credit scenes that are brillant uses of the “stinger”, as they are called. Without giving away too much, the movie could have been another hour and we would have been ok with being in this world. The mid-credit scene could be considered an epilogue to what we just saw. The final credit scene might be a bit divisive for the audience. In my opinion, I see the after-credit scene as a way to appreciate what we just saw and heard. This is for the audience to walk out of the theater with an appreciation to something new.
Final Thoughts: Ryan Coogler has gifted the audience with a movie that not only breaks traditional norms but shows the magic of storytelling. Sinners is an intense ride that is blends religion, racism, idolatry, and blues music. This film will require multiple viewings to understand all of the layers to it. Stellar performances by the cast in a movie that uplifts the vampire genre.
Kid-Friendly: The movie is rated R for language, gore, and sexual situations. I would recommend it for kids 16 and up.
Violence: Sinners really breaks into the violent realm in the third act of the movie. Once the vampires start to attack we see their gory mess they create inside the juke joint. There are a few people shot prior to the final act, but not much blood is shown at those moments.
From Ryan Coogler-director of “Black Panther” and “Creed”-and starring Michael B. Jordan comes a new vision of fear: “Sinners.” Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers (Jordan) return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.