REVIEW: "Sinners" (2025)

(Courtesy IMP Awards) 

WRITER'S NOTE: The following was originally posted on my Facebook page on April 28, 2025. 

After taking part in the Rocky spinoff series, as well as Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, filmmaker Ryan Coogler tackles his first wholly original project. And a very personal one at that. Set in the 1930s Prohibition era in the Deep South, Sinners follows two gangster twin brothers who return to their hometown after being years away, and open a juke joint in the area over the course of one night. They and several others soon confront a great evil awaiting them, leading to an invasion thriller of sorts, on par with a gripping haunted house chiller. 

Shot on a combination of Ultra Panavision 70 cameras (a 2.76:1 aspect ratio that’s very rare in the industry these days) and 70mm IMAX, Sinners is a genre-bending story in the guise of elevated horror (vampire horror, to be precise). Its opening narration not only highlights the power of music and the people who make it (specifically blues, which Coogler used as a tribute to his late uncle, and Irish folk, among others), but also how it’s interconnected through good and evil, and who or what it attracts across time. 

Early trailers feature sudden yet genuine jump scares, giving the impression that this film would be a dark tale of violence and evil. Yes, there are fangs, screams, and other cringy elements. (The pickled garlic reminded me of John Carpenter’s The Thing.) But the film itself was different than I was expecting it to be. The story is really immersive and shape-shifting, with parallels to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, as well as vampire mythology. 

That immersion is further elevated by a powerful, complex, and subversive score by Ludwig Göransson; impeccable production design by Hannah Beachler; and engrossing cinematography by Autumn Durald Arkapaw (whether in IMAX or in 65mm Ultra Panavision film). Ditto some Kubrick-esque symmetry, creepy cult-like dances and chanting, and rising tension and insanity. Coogler’s video breakdown of the formats they used is worth a look. One sequence, in particular, referring to how music has “a way of conjuring spirits from the past and future,” is unlike anything I have ever seen on screen before, transcending time, space, and eras. 

(Courtesy Filmaffinity) 

The whole cast is first-rate here, led by Coogler’s frequent collaborator Michael B. Jordan in dual roles (as brothers Smoke and Stack), complete with distinct personalities, speech patterns, and physical movements. In fact, the diverse ensemble consists of not only African-Americans (like screen veteran Delroy Lindo), but also Asians (Li Jun Li) and Irish (Jack O’Connell). But it’s newcomer Miles Caton (as Sammy a.k.a. “Preacher Boy”) who delivers an impressive, multi-hyphenate debut performance. 

Thematically, there are more to these characters than they let on. Some are not what they seem, while others have secrets they never tell. Consequences of greed, deception, idolatry, and other misguided worldviews are evident. While elements of spiritual warfare and grace are suggested (“You keep dancing with the devil, one day he’s going to follow you home”), I do wonder if Sinners also presents a negative view of Christianity and/or redemption. The overall story seems to be more about violence and retribution than salvation. Or, more like a false sense of salvation, as well as immortality and eternity. 

On the other hand, it does present characters who struggle with letting the ways of the world go, are conflicted between running away and staying, as well as mistakes passed from one generation to the next, and/or what they could’ve become but didn’t. It’s a tragic tale about traumas or memories that still haunt these characters, or what they still carry with them (both good and bad). 

To be sure, Sinners is a very ambitious, challenging, bloody, and disturbing experience. What a film, yes. But, it’s also a tale that shouldn’t be taken lightly, no matter how incredible it looks or sounds. 

#filmfreeq #bekerianreviews #21stcenturycinema #warnerbros #proximitymedia #ryancoogler #sinners2025

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