Ryan Coogler’s Vampire Siege Film Sinners (2025) is a Revelation
Title: Sinners
First Non-Festival Release: April 16, 2025 (Theatrical Release)
Director: Ryan Coogler
Writer: Ryan Coogler
Runtime: 137 Minutes
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Jack O’Connell, Hailee Stienfeld, Miles Caton
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
The connections we have to our ancestors live through us whether we are aware of it or not. There’s power in embracing your roots, even more so for people descended from those who were persecuted. As the world has encouraged more cultural exchange through globalization, the threats assimilation brings may be more dangerous for the soul than body.
Sammie (Miles Caton), the son of a preacher, is excited to reconnect with his twin cousins Smoke (Michael B. Jordan) and Stack (Michael B. Jordan) after they recruited him to perform at the opening night of their juke joint. After purchasing the property from local Klans members using stolen money from the mobs of Chicago, the duo is unaware that they will get visitors later that night. Vampire Remmick (Jack O’Connell), with two recently turned Klans members in tow, is drawn to the juke joint thanks to Sammie’s spellbinding voice and original songs. Intoxicated by his talent, Remmick will stop at nothing to turn him, even if it means killing everyone in attendance.
A meticulously crafted vampire siege film, Sinners captivates with its incredible performances, beautiful cinematography, and powerful storytelling.
Taking its time to develop its story and characters, Sinners exercises patience with an incredible payoff. Following Smoke and Stack’s rapid-fire business prowess, writer/director Ryan Coogler allows the audience to soak up the warmth of the relationships of all those involved in the Juke Joint’s making. Not only integral to the plot, this marination allows the film to shape the characters further. As they interact with each other throughout the day and well into the night, Sinners weaves a web of complex dynamics providing subtle commentary on the ways various identities determine their role in the community. It’s this intentionality that makes Sinners hit so hard when it gets to the horror.
The vampires in Sinners serve more than simple antagonists in a siege film but intentional objects to critique the ways assimilation and segregation pressure immigrants on the basis of their cultural practices. An extended metaphor for many things, the dangers of uncritical assimilation, the strengths of cross-cultural solidarity, and even the healing power of music, Sinners is layered in its analysis of the post-Civil War South. Their efforts to coax and recruit from the dwindling survivors mirrors the ways in which assimilation demands from the ‘other.’ Desiring Sammie’s voice above all, Sinners correctly attributes the problem with assimilation. Homogeny is weak and can only survive based on everyone’s willingness to maintain it.
The message hits deeper with Sinners showcasing how cultural celebration and solidarity is stronger than the temptations of assimilation. Remmick’s impassioned speeches promising anti-racism and camaraderie ring hollow when considering he is poised to turn nearly an entire town into vampires overnight. The dangers of the silver-tongued savior offering promises beyond his capabilities parallel deliciously with the false promise of the American Dream sold to Black people during Reconstruction and to this day. Sinners takes great effort to ground the film in these realities balancing them with the loftier vampire elements.
Culture is something worth protecting, and in America, it is meant to be something shared, much like the cultural exchange in the Juke Joint prior to the vampires arriving, versus something meant to be taken, the goal of the vampires leading the charge of assimilation. The patrons of the Juke Joint only have a chance because they rely on each other’s knowledge and strengths rather than uniformity. Sinners shows what this can look like in action, if respect is maintained between those sharing, of course.
Thanks to its truly stacked cast, Sinners cultivates a powerful story on the necessity of intracommunity solidarity and self-determination. Miles Caton stuns in his debut role as Sammie allowing his grounded performance and beautiful voice to captivate. Jack O’Connell oozes charm as the slick, snake-like vampire Remmick while Hailee Steinfeld delights as the headstrong Mary. This only scratches the surface. Delory Lindo, Wumni Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Helena Hu, Yao, and Omar Benson Miller deserve their flowers for rounding out the cast and delivering too.
While everyone brings their A-game, none make an impact as powerful as Michael B. Jordan’s dual portrayal of Smoke and Stack. The diverging characters have many similarities, as many twins do, but it’s in their slight differences and quirks that makes Jordan’s portrayal so excellent. Jordan depicts an entire range of human emotions over the two hours, giving levity to the terror and an answer to the violence outside. Without him, Smoke and Stack could easily have been solid characters in an ensemble horror but with Jordan they anchor the film with certainty and intensity.
Intentional production elements allow the beauty and horror of Sinners to shine brightly. Awash in dazzling imagery and sweeping cinematography, Sinners captures the sweaty chill of the South. Precise and provocative, the visual storytelling of Sinners elevates it even further. Evoking feelings of terror, joy, humor, and nostalgia, the film is steeped in atmosphere, built by its winning combination of Southern gothic and afrofuturism influences. A core component to its story, the music of Sinners elevates the horror making certain story beats absolutely soar. The hum of the Mississippi Delta infuses perfectly with the score, blending with the blues and soul entwined with the area to better support its commentary on assimilation. It all boils down to a single scene that captures the energy of the thesis of Sinners, mixing timelines in a symphony of past, present, and future selves.
A magnificent slice of Black vampiric horror, Sinners is a pitch perfect siege drama that hits every mark asked of it. Intentional storytelling, excellent performances, and compelling messaging on the American experience, Sinners is a truly jaw-dropping visual and musical approach to horror. Ryan Coogler continues to impress with his laser-focus and creativity making his work some of the most exciting to discover right now. Find out for yourself why Sinners is a revelation and watch it today.
Overall Score? 9/10
