[Ed. We mentioned it when it debuted on HBO, but now, as we get closer to the Oscars, we revisit SINNERS with this official review.]
This film made waves long before it scooped up a record-breaking amount of Oscar nominations, so it’s time to discuss the beautiful hoodoo which Ryan Coogler has concocted and blessed our lives: Sinners. It’s not surprising to me to see another dynamite film entry from the director, given that he’s blessed us with Fruitvale Station, both Black Panther films, and Creed. But Sinners is a whole new tapestry of Black history and a love letter to blues music wrapped in a horror film. There are a few great points to dig into, so let’s jive! 
Foremost, this phenomenal film is stacked with an absolutely brilliant cast. Michael B Jordan is center stage, playing a pair of twins who return home to the south after business ventures in Chicago with the mafia. Coogler and Jordan have an intimate working relationship, with Jordan appearing in every movie Coogler has directed. Jordan has garnered a reputation for his skills, but he is next level in this film. Playing brothers, nicknamed Smoke and Stack, Jordan shines in creating distinct personalities for each man. One tidbit that I heard was that in order to help create the different characters, he was wearing different shoes for the scenes. For one character, he wore shoes that were too tight, creating rapid and shifting movement to handle the slight discomfort. For the other twin, the shoes were too big, meaning Jordan had to be more methodical and careful with his steps. And this, to me, is what true dedication to the craft means. Plenty of people will talk about method acting and the insane things a person can put themselves through, but to me, it is these small and subtle details that make the film.
Continuing with the cast, since Jordan plays two roles, he also gets two gorgeous love interests. Hailee 
Steinfeld (True Grit, Hawkeye) plays Mary, a married white woman whose mother took care of the twins when they were younger, and a former lover of Stack’s. Wunmi Mosaku (Black Mirror, Deadpool & Wolverine) plays Annie, Smoke’s estranged lover and mother of their deceased daughter. Miles Canton shines in his debut film role and brings his musical skills along as their blues-playing cousin Sammie, who will headline their juke joint. Delroy Lindo (Get Shorty, Gone in 60 Seconds) adds to the musical act by playing harmonica. Omar Miller (8 Mile, Ballers) gets plucked from the field to be the bouncer for this juke joint they’re opening up. After finagling some supplies with some local store owners, Bo (Yao) and Grace (Li Jun Li), the needs are met, and the boys are ready to open up their club. Unfortunately, a few things are working against them…
For starters, there’s a vampire named Remmick (Jack O’Connell) making his way across the land, being hunted by Choctaw Indians. Now, to his credit, we don’t know he’s a vampire right away. I mean, he’s vaguely burning and crispy in the sunlight, but that could mean anything! In actuality, this small bit provides a really great historical moment. Remmick is Iris,h and while he’s a vampire being hunted, the Choctaw and Irish have a meaningful history together. The Choctaw were supportive of Ireland during the potato famine, and Ireland has returned the favor, supporting the Indigenous peoples, most recently sending supplies to the tribe during the Covid pandemic. But there’s even more important history to discuss
For many people, and I can speak from experience because it happened to me, there was a lot of historical context I didn’t truly understand or learn until experiencing it in some form of media. I was a very sheltered kid living in a conservative home. I had absolutely no clue what life was like for other people until college, and it was revelatory. Movies like this provide us with moments in history, and while these characters are fictional, picking cotton in the field wasn’t. Many people didn’t learn about the Tulsa Massacre until it appeared on HBO’s Watchmen. “Oh, the Klan’s dead.” I think we can safely say, given current events, that’s a damn lie. The reality is racism lives on and continues to destroy lives. Showing the truth of that isn’t shaming white people; it’s acknowledging the past so we can learn from it and try not to repeat it. This is why showing the reality of history in film is so important. Ok, soapbox moment done.
The juke gets going, and it’s hopping! People are living it up, dancing and being free. And for a little while, it’s beautiful. But Remmick and his chompy buddies roll up and want to come party. That’s a big ole no. There’s something to be said for just the vibes you give off, and it’s clear that these three are up to something. They’re just too chill and too nice, and while y’all can sing some pretty Irish folk music, they ain’t lettin’ you in. Now, part of the African folklore story involves music and the spiritual realm. Sammie’s voice is more than just sultry; it’s magic. And now we have a battle of the bands! But this is a horror flick, so don’t get too comfortable…because it’s gonna get brutal and it’s gonna get brutal fast.
One thing that I feel was done really well, and something I quite resonated with, was the mother, Grace. I won’t give away spoilers as to who dies, but obviously, some people die. This is a vampire movie! But one last group remains and is preparing itself for the fight. Grace is worried about her daughter at home and the vampires taunt her that they will go kill her. I can’t deny her moment wasn’t the most opportune, but I also can’t deny a mother’s rage to protect her daughter. She knows she can invite the risk now or potentially wait and lose her kid. Damn right I’d be telling those mother fuckers to come and get me!
The action and acting were all around gut-wrenching. The story educated and showed you a slice of past life. The horror kept you on your feet with scares and sick fights. The music lured you in and made you tap your toes. Sinners was, in my opinion, one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time. It deserves every single nomination and award win it gets. And should be a template for the type of movies we need to see more.
