Sinners: A Beautiful Blend of Horror, History, and Music

Director: Ryan Coogler

Written by: Ryan Coogler

Produced by: Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler (Judas and the Black Messiah), Tina Anderson (Tenet), Sev Ohanian (Creed III), Kenneth Yu (Nickel Boys)

Executive Producers: Anthony Tittanegro (Mickey 17), Andrew Lary (A Minecraft Movie), Ludwig Göransson, Will Greenfield, Pete Chiappetta (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga), Rebecca Cho

Starring Cast: Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther), Miles Caton, Delroy Lindo (Da 5 Bloods), Omar Benson Miller, Saul Williams (Blink Twice), Wunmi Mosaku (Loki), Jayme Lawson (The Woman King), Hailee Steinfeld (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse), Li Jun Li, Jack O’Connell. 

TV Rating: R

Run Time: 137 min

Release date: April 18, 2025

I have never been so inspired by a film as an adult as I have been watching Sinners. Director, writer, and producer Ryan Coogler gave me the kick I needed to continue down a path I didn’t think anyone was interested in. The multiple tabs that highlight my ADHD contain traces of the supernatural, witchcraft, the horror genre, short stories, familial bonds, Native American influences, links between African and Irish culture, old South Carolina, slavery, interracial couples, music, food, and more. Knowing that I am not the only one who imagines romance, supernatural monsters, family ties, and music across different cultures is such a comfort.

Sinners follows twin brothers Smoke and Stack as they return to their hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi, after hitting it big in Chicago. Their return is filled with music and family reunions as they plan to start their own business. The 1932 Jim Crow South parallels their experiences while also inviting something dark and sinister. The film is a beautiful collaboration of performance, production, and direction fueled by a fantastic score. Written and directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Coogler, Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan in a dual role – Smoke and Stack, joined by Oscar nominee Hailee Steinfeld as Mary, Jack O’Connell as Remmick, Wunmi Mosaku as Annie, Jayme Lawson as Pearline, Omar Benson Miller as Cornbread, and Delroy Lindo as Delta Slim. This cast ensemble is pure magic. Everyone is in their zone, delivering sensational lines and masterful performances.

The only “basic” thing about this film is the vampire lore, and I am okay with that. We get the quintessential vampire moments that fans of the genre will appreciate. When a film has such deep connections everywhere else, it is smart to go back to basics with the lore. We get our garlic, sunlight, wooden stakes, mega jumps, invitations to enter, and other traditional pre-Twilight rules. As a horror fan, I couldn’t help but think of my favorite show, Supernatural. There are so many great easter eggs for the Warner Bros. series and so much more. Every time O’Connell said, “Sammie,” I couldn’t help but smile.

When we first heard about Sinners, it was marketed as a vampire movie. During a time when the Blade reboot was starting to go down like the Titanic with Mahershala Ali in the lead, longtime Black fans of the genre were intrigued by a vampire film that not only starred Black people but was made by Black people. “For us, by us,” as the twins say in the film. While Coogler delivered an epic vampire film, he also delivered an epic cultural moment (“another one” in my best DJ Khaled voice). Historically, vampires were used as metaphors for Black people, often reflecting the fear and prejudice of the dominant white society. Coogler couldn’t have picked a better moment to parallel the supernatural and paranormal with real-life struggles, especially during the Great Depression. Many African Americans in both city and rural areas, many already living in poverty, suffered greatly from the economic depression, a lot of it linked to racial discrimination. Sinners does a phenomenal job highlighting the historical amidst the fictional.

Visually, the film is stunning. The attention to light and dark is captivating. The energy from day to night is captured epically by cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever). The wide shots of open land and blue skies are just some of the details used to tell the story. There have been videos of Coogler talking about film aspect ratios and different formats for viewing Sinners. Please consider seeing it in IMAX 70mm, if you can. The larger format works so well. It is truly an immersive experience. 

Another impressive part of Sinners that blends the supernatural and paranormal with real life is the music. Music, for me, has always been a way to portray an emotion or tell a story. I think that’s why I notice it more than anything in film. Sinners has a beautiful sound to it that incorporates the blues, church hymns, and even Irish folk songs. I could listen to the score all day (which I have done with the one song that is available, “Why You Here/Before the Sun Went Down”). The talent captured on screen with the cast and composer Ludwig Göransson is worthy of so many awards. The film captures the religious communities of the South and the friction between the secular and sacred. Some of the bigger themes and storylines are portrayed with music. I geeked out over the Irish song “Wild Mountain Thyme,” which is beautifully played and sung by characters in the film. It is so fitting and significant for scenes in the film. Listen for it! Everything is intentional when it comes to the writing, directions, costume, music, etc with Coogler. There’s so much to engage with in Sinners.

Sinners has the perfect recipe for the best film of the year. It is so much more than a horror movie. It is a layered masterpiece that I hope everyone will see multiple times and the Academy will remember come voting and award season. Please remember to stay until the very end for a mid- and post-credit scene. Sinners is in theaters April 18, 2025.