When I stepped out of the theater after watching “Sinners,” my initial reaction was unclear, not because I did not like the movie, but because I needed to watch it again. It was an overwhelming masterpiece.
“Sinners,” directed by Ryan Coogler, took many risks and covered a variety of topics, including race, death, religion and folklore, tying it all together in a beautifully wrapped gift.
The story stars Michael B. Jordan as twin brothers Stack and Smoke. It follows their return to their hometown in Mississippi. The brothers have high hopes of running a successful juke joint, complete with blues music and Irish beer to keep night-goers coming. However, one night of partying turns into a confrontation with a much greater evil.
Michael B. Jordan delivers an incredible performance, portraying both brothers with distinct personalities. Red and blue hats and suits helped audiences identify which brother was on screen, but even without the color cues, their differences were clearly conveyed.
Miles Caton stars as Sammie, also known as “Preacher Boy,” who possesses the remarkable gift of playing the guitar and singing. Sammie possesses a supernatural ability to cross from different cultures, merging the past, present and future. In other words, music transcends time and cultures.
I truly believe in this lore. One scene that captivated me showed Sammie singing while different cultures and periods appeared together in the same room, dancing around him like spiritual ghosts. I have felt that connection to music before, where your body feels connected to the cultures influencing the music. It takes you somewhere else, and this movie captured that feeling well.
Speaking of the music, Ludwig Göransson, one of my all-time favorite score writers (who also scored “Oppenheimer” and “Black Panther 2”), did a fantastic job capturing the period. He used a 1932 Dobro Resonator, the same type of guitar Caton plays in the movie. In an interview, Göransson stated that he bought three of these guitars and used them primarily to write the score, relying less on computer-generated sounds.
While “Sinners” is a vampire movie, it doesn’t feel like a typical vampire story, like “Twilight” or “Morbius.” The film incorporates so many elements that, at first, it doesn’t even seem like a vampire movie. However, it delivers excellent moments of jump scares and gore.
The main villain, played by Jack O’Connell, is charming in a terrifying way. There is a significant amount of Irish history tied to his character, and his songs and dancing have become a popular part of the film’s appeal. I wish I had seen more of his back story, but I still understood his motives.
I wish I could dive more deeply into the symbolism and production of this movie because it is fascinating. However, I will simply say: watch it. “Sinners” has everything you could want in a great film: action, comedy, romance and grief. I hope it wins Oscars and awards for its creativity and originality.
