Sinners
review by Bobby Blakey
Director Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan have had major success together with Fruitvale Station, Black Panther and Creed. Now they are reteaming once again for a different kind of film in Sinners co-starring Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller and Delroy Lindo. Will this be yet another great partnership or will they not be worth inviting in to watch?
Sinners follow twin brothers who return to their hometown to start again after trying to leave their troubled lives behind, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
Any time you team up Coogler and Jordan you get magic, but this latest film is going in a new direction so wondered how well Coogler could handle some element of horror. I can say ecstatically that he kicked all of its ass with his film that is fantastic in every way. There is not only a horror element, but so much more than that. Imagine From Dusk Till Dawn mixed with a bit of Crossroads (not the Britanny Spears one) and Jim Crow era prohibition and you have the brilliance of Sinners.
What’s interesting about this film is that it is crafted as a bigger story than just the horror element and with some tweaks it could have ditched that whole concept with a different protagonist of sorts and still kicked ass. Thankfully going this route gave it the blood-soaked fun to bring something that will punch you in the face and hit you deep in the soul with its varied messages and horrors of the world and supernatural.
The story is simple with its concept bringing these two brothers back to their hometown to do their own thing and bring their Juke joint to the masses and make that money. Much of the film is setting up the history of these characters
and the gathering of all the players to get us to the most live party in the south. Everything about it and the connection to the Blues is compelling and engaging to watch. There are tons of full-on performances that work together to bring the power of the film along with the catalyst to all elements of the story.
One scene of the biggest performances at the Juke Joint is pure genius. It tells a story of the past, present and future and hits every one of your senses with a knockout punch. I was already all into the film and no horror element had even started yet, but this sequence put it as a favorite of mine right away, but more is to come. When things begin to hit the fan and take a supernatural turn it changes gears quickly to something just as good and lets the blood flow freely.
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It could have easily gone off the rails with this part of the film, but the serious tone and care taken with all the emotional impact of the characters and the horrors put before them deliver to perfection. There are plenty of great kills and chaos that will suck in any horror fan and leave you cheering and smiling from ear to ear. This entire final act just cements the perfection of the rest of the film, but it isn’t over yet.
Once we get to the end of the chaotic night and feel as though it is wrapping things up it reminds us of the true horrors of the era and brings more action. It is a quick sequence that puts that perfect exclamation point on the film and will likely have fans cheering in its reminder of not taking crap any more. When the credits begin stick with it as there is another great blues performance before showing one final fun sequence that wraps or potentially opens the door to the bigger world without promising any sequel or needing one.
Do not miss seeing Sinners on the biggest and loudest screen possible when it hits theaters on April 18th from Warner Bros Discovery.
