A powerful blend of music and horror, Sinners marks writer/director Ryan Coogler’s first entry into the genre.
In Sinners, after surviving both World War I and gangland Chicago in 1932, two twin brothers—Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan, Creed)—return to their hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi. Upon arriving, the two twins recruit family and friends alike to open an exclusive speakeasy. However, as they are set to open, the group encounters a greater evil—one that seeks to destroy them and everyone they care about.
Music, History, and Horror Come Together in Sinners
After spending time in other genres, writer and director Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) makes his first foray into the horror genre with Sinners. With influences stemming from Tarantino to Stephen King, Coogler constructs a tale of art, passion, and its impact on individuals. All the while, Coogler explores both the supernatural horror and the real horror of the period. Additionally, Coogler also explores how the evils of those horrors affected the community, particularly communities of marginalized individuals.
We see this through the characters, whom Coogler fleshes out into three-dimensional people. Furthermore, Coogler also sprinkles bits of action, humor, and heart within the film. By using IMAX cameras equipped with 65mm film print, Coogler and cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw (The Last Showgirl) shot the film with a grand cinematic scope. Thus, giving it an element of grit and texture. Through shooting in 65mm, Coogler and Arkapaw not only widen the scope of the story but also its scale. So they make each moment on-screen count.
Production Design, Score, Special Effects, and Editing
In expanding the world of the film, production designer Hannah Beachler (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) works in tandem with costume designer Ruth E. Carter (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever). The two successfully capture the period, resulting in both the costumes and sets feeling ripped from that time. Additionally, Carter’s costumes mix seamlessly with Arkapaw’s cinematography, highlighting the film’s color hues. On top of that, composer Ludwig Göransson (Oppenheimer) fuses the movie with a sense of soul through the score. A mixture of blues, jazz, and heavy metal, Göransson incorporates the film’s theme of passion and impact by translating it into music. Thus giving the film an electric rhythm.
While being subtle, the special effects also contribute to the rhythm. Courtesy of VFX and special effects supervisor Michael Ralla (John Wick: Chapter 4), the film employs a subtle combination of practical and digital effects. Thereby making the supernatural horror elements feel like they are a part of the world. Finally, editor Michael P. Shawver (Abigail) brings it all together. With a running time of two hours and seventeen minutes, Shawver perfectly paces the film, never once feeling too short or too long. Additionally, Shawver blends the large-format footage with the IMAX footage. As a result, the film has a seamless transition between both formats.
Performances in Sinners
Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo, Wunmi Mosaku, Miles Caton, Li Jun Li, and Jayme Lawson in Sinners. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
Led by Michael B. Jordan (Creed III), the entire cast delivers a flurry of excellent performances. As the twins Smoke and Stack, Jordan plays both roles easily, bringing a uniqueness to both characters. It’s a quality that highlights their differences and their similarities. Also, Jordan has excellent chemistry with Hailee Steinfeld’s (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) Mary and Wunmi Mosaku’s (Deadpool & Wolverine) Annie. Both are great in their own right, with Steinfeld channeling a femme fatale layer. Meanwhile, Mosaku brings out a great reverence for the film’s themes. Concurrently, Delroy Lindo (Unprisoned) displays a layeredness as Delta Slim, a fellow Blues player. All the while, Lindo delivers some of the film’s best moments of humor.
Even so, as the antagonist Remmick, Jack O’Connell (Back to Black) delivers a terrifying performance, unifying menace but with glee. But the standout is Miles Caton as Sammie, an aspiring Blues player. Caton manages to play the role of an audience surrogate with his passions and desires. Rounding out the cast are Jayme Lawson (The Penguin) as Pauline, Omar Miller (Naples in New York) as Cornbread, and Li Jun Li (Black Hole) as Grace Chow. Despite being supporting players, the three of them delivered a memorable performance.
Final Thoughts
For his latest film, Sinners, writer/director Ryan Coogler creates an epic masterpiece that shows the effect cultural artistry has on a personal and social level via an entertaining vampire film. Additionally, Coogler fuses many genres, resulting in a crowd-pleasing spectacle. Furthermore, the cinematography, production design, and costumes beautifully showcase the period. On top of that, Göransson’s score further highlights the film’s themes and ideas. Finally, the cast, led by Jordan, all deliver excellent performances. Sinners is an amazing meld between genre and music, further demonstrating that Coogler is one of the best filmmakers of the modern era.
