Film review: ‘SINNERS’, by Nick Gardener from ‘Built For Speed’

We’ve seen many variations on the vampire film, from sinister baldy Nosferatu to George Hamilton’s suspiciously suntanned disco dancing Dracula in Love at First Bite.  Now, Ryan Coogler’s (Fruitvale Station, Black Panther) latest film, Sinners weaves the vampire into the supernatural mythology infusing early delta blues. This novel approach gives us a gory romp that’s also surprisingly soulful and almost qualifies as a musical.

At first, this film looks like a straight drama and 1930’s period piece examining African American culture and the roots of blues music in Mississippi.  Michael B. Jordan plays gangster twins (yes, two roles) Smoke and Stack who have profited big time from gang wars in Chicago and are looking to start a Mississippi juke joint where local African American people can enjoy music and booze. They select as the main attraction their younger cousin Sammy (r’n’b singer Miles Caton) who has a remarkable voice and does some fine finger pickin’.  He agrees to the gig despite dire warnings from his preacher dad about the evils of music.  During a rollicking opening night, they’re visited by a trio of eager white musicians led by the creepy Remmick (Jack O’Connell) who want in. The interlopers, however, aren’t just music fans but hungry vampires looking for a smorgasbord.

The film transforms into something resembling a 1930’s Mississippi version of Robert Rodriguez From Dusk Til’ Dawn but Sinners offers more depth and more treats for music fans.  While the second half of this film is filled with bloody vampire attacks and multiple wooden stake impalings, the film never loses its emphasis on the seductive power of music. The juke joint scenes feature a remarkable collection of performances including stirring blues numbers from Miles Caton and Jayme Lawson who plays singer Pearline.  The film is not only a celebration of this defining era of African American music but its ongoing influence and at one point it becomes a hallucinogenic cross-generational tribute to black music with rappers, DJ’s and a Rick James-style glam funkster appearing like ghosts in the rustic 1930’s setting.  Our vampire friends lurking outside also belt out some fine bluegrass and Irish folk tunes.

With music, history, personal drama, horror and crime, Sinners is a strange combination of genres but it mostly works.  The odd genre mashup means Sinners doesn’t qualify as a full-fledged horror film but the vampire scenes still have some effective jump scares and gory action and the eerie lighting gives the vampires a menacing look. The subtext of hostile white people trying to appropriate black music is, however, a little lost as the film becomes increasingly loopy.

Michael B. Jordan handles the dual roles wonderfully, giving each gangster twin potent charisma with a mix of ruthlessness and compassion. Wunmi Mosaku as Smoke’s no-nonsense love interest Annie and Hailee Steinfeld as Stack’s spurned former lover Mary also have a formidable presence here.  There’s also a welcome appearance from Delro Lindo as old Bluesman Delta Slim who takes no crap and has the joint jumping with his spirited piano playing.

While Sinners’ slow-burn first half, might have a few audience members fidgeting most – particularly music fans – will find this blues/ horror mashup a riot.

Nick’s rating: ***1/2

Genre: Drama/ Action/ Horror/ Musical.

Classification: MA15+.

Director(s): Ryan Coogler.

Release date: 17th Apr 2025.

Running time: 137 mins.

Reviewer: Nick Gardener can be heard on “Built For Speed” every Friday night from 8-10pm on 88.3 Southern FM.

 

Related Posts:

tagged with , , , , , , , , ,