The Wasteland Reviewer

Sinners (2025) Written Review

What can you do with the vampire genre at this point in cinema? This is one of the oldest horror subgenres to date with films like Nosferatu making a big impact over 100 years ago. There have been so many creative things done with vampires over the past 100 years to keep these stories fresh and engaging. There have been so many different adaptations of Dracula over the years with Robert Eggers’ latest Nosferatu adaptation taking things old school and gothic. We have gotten lusty, queer vampires in Interview with the Vampire. We have gotten “sparkly” vampires with Twilight. Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement made them stupid with What We Do in the Shadows. But writer/director Ryan Coogler mustered all his creative juices to craft one of the most stellar films (period) in recent memory with his genre-bending vampire tale, Sinners.

What makes Coogler’s effort so miraculous? There is one element of this film that makes this so resonant and powerful compared to so many other films. The music. Thematically. Narratively. Aesthetically. Music is a motivation. Music is an aspiration. Music is the magic that makes this film work. Coogler draws upon urban legends like Robert Johnson and the Devil at the Crossroads for inspiration in this 30s Delta tale. The motifs are weaved in perfectly for the setting and the narrative elements come together. The opening narration explores the cultural lineage of individuals whose creative explorations open the veil to generations (past and present). The film might have huge names, but it is Miles Caton’s Sammie Moore (The Preacher’s Son) who is the torch bearer for the whole narrative. He is the key. His presence makes for some of the most compelling sequences in the film. Coogler shows off with Sammie’s first performance that mixes a single take around this makeshift club as beings from past and present collide in a symphony of musicality. Coogler’s vision creates one of the most dynamic and enthralling scenes in any movie in a long time. In stark contrast to the beautiful exhibition of black expression is a haunting and unnerving portrayal of Irish traditional dance and music for which our vampiric antagonist congregates this Hellish flock. Then you have the incredible work of Coogler’s collaborator Ludwig Goransson who crafts a dynamic and bold score that mixes classic blues, some classic horror stylizing, and roaring metal music that punctuates every scene it dances into.

But it cannot just be the music (an essential piece of the film though) that Coogler brings to the table? There are so many impressive creative decisions that make Sinners such an engrossing and impactful cinematic experience. The choice to shoot all of this on IMAX cameras was a bold choice that pays off in making this film feel both epic and uncomfortably intimate at the same time. The way cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw captures the world of the film is just breathtaking. Those wide sprawling shots of the cotton fields and the big sky just capture the setting of this Delta community so well. There are multiple impressive one-shot sequences that help craft a more engrossing experience. The way that the music performance scenes are shot and mixed makes them fully enveloped and powerful. Music is the most powerful force in this story and all the technical aspects of the film are working together to capture the sheer force of it. One of the other impressive elements on the technical side is the editing. There are many moments where strategic cuts help reinforce unexpected moments or build up mystery in the narrative. But it is Coogler who conducts this sexy, bloody, and bold symphony with such assured confidence. There are legitimately frightening scenes that reinforce just how terrifying these vampires can be. The humor is every presence but never takes away from the weight of the film. You will laugh…A LOT. Scary and hilarious. There are also plenty of seductive, lustful, and passionate sequences that make this cinematic experience quite sultry.

Do the themes shine through in this genre-bending technical masterpiece? There is so much weight and richness of themes throughout the film. From the opening scene, we see how a love of music, flesh, and joy conflicts with the more holy and conservative life of the church. Sammie is placed behind a rock and a hard place. Sammie is being pressured by his preacher father to shun the music in his life (the blues) and find his place in the church with the gospel. Then you have Sammie’s cousins, Smoke and Stack, who (especially Stack) want to bring him into the fold of their new club and to play his music. That is where the heart and soul of the film lies…the music. There is power in what Sammie’s musical talents can do. Where his abilities are more literal, the film does deliver a message of the connective power music for people and their culture throughout generations. This ability to find community and convene in love and connection stands out on both sides of this vampiric conflict. The desire for love and connection is present in many of our characters and that is the root of all the conflict on screen. There is the relevant and realistic specter of racism that looms over this community of black individuals trying to experience joy and passion. There are so many layers to this film, and it is remarkable how Coogler weaves all these themes and ideas together while still delivering a compelling story. An important note is to stay through the credits as Coogler has one last Coda to share which is sublime and focuses the film’s themes on one last poignant sequence that is expertly crafted.

Is there an engaging enough story to anchor all these themes and elements down? From the start, you are hooked. We start at the end and some perfectly placed edits build mystery and fear in the audience before we are sent back one day into the past. The first act or so of the film is full of rich character work and fantastic set-up. We learn what Sammie wants out of life and the power of his skills. Smoke and Stack are each placed in a situation where they must confront the loves of their lives who were left in the past. This adds weight to their action and centers their motivations. There are plenty of great character introductions that fill out this mosaic of engrossing and engaging characters. All of these, characters, relationships, conflicts, and such are weaved together into a centralized location of this sawmill turned night club. The push and pull of the vampires trying to get into the club is tense, compelling, and entertaining. There are layers of character dynamics and thematic elements that are threaded in during this second act that keep us connected to the characters and waiting for stuff to hit the fan. The final act becomes a thrilling and bombastic bloody good time as the conflict swirls into genre focused madness. Action. Horror. Drama. Comedy. Coogler injects it all. Perfectly paced and well structured, this is compelling and entertaining for sure.

Does this cast of characters tie this vampiric madness all together? The big breakout star of this film will certainly be Caton. There is honesty and authenticity that he brings to this role. You feel like he is really playing that music and feeling every bit of energy pouring out. You feel his conflict with his love for music and his cousins with the life laid out by his father. His deep voice yet youthful presence makes for an interesting contrast as he embodies this young lust for life and the growth he endures through this traumatic yet impactful night. The double dose is just incredible. Smoke and Stack are completely different characters, and he embodies both perfectly. Smoke is smart, calculating, and protective. There is an intensity in him that Jordan delivers so well but there is plenty of passion and emotion underneath as well. He has great chemistry with Wunmi Mosaku who is strong, sexy, and intelligent. She is the one in the know during the film and she shares poignant scenes throughout with Jordan. Stack is electric, charismatic, and a bit of trouble. There is a fire in him and Jordan can deliver all that flash and confidence of Stack. He has a fiery dynamic with Hailee Steinfeld’s Mary as well as some strong emotional beats as well. Steinfeld is an absolute presence in the film with her movie star charisma. Jack O’Connell is devilish and alluring as the lead vampire, Remmick. The great effect of the red glow in his eyes matched with the impressive charisma he brings to the role is just incredible (making for one of the most interesting vampires in recent memory). Delroy Lindo is hilarious and impassioned as Delta Slim who steals almost every scene he is in. There are plenty of other standout performers as this ensemble is stuffed to the gills with talent. Li Jun Li. Jayme Lawson. Omar Benson Miller. And more.

Is Sinners the must see film of the year so far? Without a doubt, for sure. This towering achievement of auteur filmmaking, grindhouse action, and vampire lore all wrapped around a delta story in the prohibition era south. Coogler directs the heck out of this film and delivers his magnum opus (so far in his career). The richness of themes and power of music is truly special. This incredible ensemble is something special from top to bottom. If Coogler has films like this up his sleeve, you cannot miss his work moving forward. Sinners will go down as one of the truly great vampire films in (at least) recent memory.