Ryan Coogler Transforms “Sinners” into an Unforgettable Historical Masterpiece

By now, everyone has heard of “Sinners.” If  you’re a social media junkie or a filmhead, you’ll know it’s the most talked-about film in the world right now. If you haven’t given in to the pressure to watch it, even though it premiered three weeks ago, congratulations, you might just survive a vampire apocalypse. If you have seen it, then congrats again, you might get bitten in said apocalypse.

Sinners is marketed as a vampire-horror flick. And that’s not entirely false. But beneath its bloody surface lies an important message from Academy Award–winning director Ryan Coogler, who penned this film as a re-telling of the African American experience in the 1930s. Black people were seen as nothing more than laborers and former slaves, forced to survive on cotton plantations while their white counterparts lived in luxury, dressed in fine clothes, and holding all the power.

The film starts off with religion, the renowned “opium of the people.” Preacher boy Sammie (Miles Caton) approaches his father’s church, half a guitar in hand, bloodied and clearly having survived a demonic attack. The congregation is stunned. His father, Pastor Moore (Saul Williams), immediately seizes the moment to use his son as a living cautionary tale,  a warning of what happens when one dances with sin. It’s made clear that Sammie’s dreams of becoming a blues musician are not welcomed by his churchgoing family. But the deeper correlation between Sammie’s musical ambitions and his encounter with actual demons only becomes evident in the film’s second half.

Then we are introduced to the Smokestack twins;  Smoke and Stack, both played brilliantly by Michael B. Jordan. They return to their hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi after the murder of their father (a patricide committed by Smoke himself). After years of working in Chicago’s criminal underbelly, the twins arrive back home determined to make their mark by opening Club Juke,  a juke joint created exclusively for “kinfolks” in the area. Their goal? Create an establishment lively enough for the community to enjoy and famous enough to make them rich.

In order to be successful, they purchase a sawmill from a KKK member Hogwood (David Maldonado), and begin recruiting staff members: resident drunkard and pianist Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo), local Chinese shopkeepers Grace (Li Jun Li), and Bo (Yao) who serve as painters and suppliers: Pearline (Jayme Lawson), the powerhouse singer;  Cornbread (Omar Miller) a former cotton field worker turned bouncer, and Sammie, the twins’ gifted cousin and guitarist.

The first half of the film focuses less on horror and more on community as the twins do plan to create something extraordinary for their hometown. It also explores the relationships the twins left behind in pursuit of survival. Stack once loved Mary (Hailee Steinfeld), a white woman he left behind,  not because he didn’t love her, but because he understood that their interracial relationship would never survive in Jim Crow Mississippi. Smoke, on the other hand, abandoned his wife Annie (Wunmi Mosaku), a slave to the occult, after the death of their infant child.

The juke joint opens without a hitch and becomes a hub for rekindled relationships, but the joy is cut short by Remmick (Jack O’Connell), an Irish vampire unwittingly summoned by Sammie through his guitar playing—bringing to life the chilling warning his father once gave: “You keep dancing with the devil; one day he’s gonna follow you home.”

Remmick brings with him two minions—who happen to be KKK members—and they infiltrate the party, first by turning Mary into a vampire, then by infecting the rest of the guests with vampire venom. Even Stack is turned into a vampire, forcing Smoke to confront a harsh reality. The only survivors who aren’t turned are Smoke, Sammie, Annie, Grace, Delta Slim, and Pearline.

The second half of the film unfolds as an all-out, dusk-till-dawn bloodbath between vampires and non-vampires, culminating in the deaths of many main characters. Thanks to Smoke’s ultimate sacrifice, Sammie emerges as the lone survivor of the vampire massacre.

Sixty years later, in a touching post-credit scene, it’s revealed that an aged Sammie did live out his dream. He became a legendary blues musician, beloved and revered. He’s visited by Stack and Mary — still vampires, still young — who offer him immortality. Sammie declines. As they reminisce about that cursed night at Club Juke, Sammie reveals that it was the best night of his life.

It’s very obvious that a lot of historical thought was put into the making of “Sinners” and we have Coogler to thank for that. The idea that blues music could summon evil isn’t fictional. In Black American folklore, the blues has long been linked to the occult — songs filled with references to voodoo, curses, and hauntings. In that context, Sammie’s musical gift becomes both a blessing and a curse. His guitar — the literal and metaphorical instrument of change — opens a portal to damnation.

“Sinners” also reinforces a glaring truth: Black Americans invented blues music. The film unapologetically highlights the genre as a form of expression borne from suffering — a cry from the cotton fields, a rebellion against the Jim Crow laws, a sound that would go on to influence everything from rock to hip-hop. Sammie’s songs, featured on the film’s soundtrack, are as integral to the story as the script itself.

At face value, “Sinners” is a delightfully entertaining horror film. It has the gore, the grit, and the grotesque visuals that horror fans crave. Lovers of films like “Eve’s Bayou,” “The Devil’s Advocate,” and “ Ganja & Hess” will feel right at home. But underneath the surface, the film is layered with allegory. The vampires, who are mostly the superiority complex white, symbolize how racism sinks its teeth and spreads through society, corrupting everything in its path. Their victims, who are predominantly Black, represent the targeted and oppressed — drained of life form and freedom.

Several scenes in the film document the Black experience in a way that, upon reflection, is deeply painful to hear, watch, and witness. In the 1930s, Black people lived in shacks and on plantations; they were segregated, forced into poverty, and compelled to pick cotton just to survive. Many were killed for as little as breathing the wrong way next to a white person. Those who “made it,” like the Smokestack twins, only did so by turning to criminal activities.

Smoke’s ultimate showdown with Hogwood and the other members of the KKK is the film’s most powerful symbolic moment. In it, Coogler depicts the dream of dismantling white supremacy. The irony is heartbreaking: though the film is set in 1930s Jim Crow America, racism is still an ongoing epidemic in the country. “Sinners” serves as a harsh reminder of that fact.

The film also earns praise for its honest depiction of racial diversity, especially the inclusion of Asian American characters like Grace and Bo. Many forget that Asian Americans lived and thrived in the South during this period, and “Sinners”make their presence known as important pillars in their communities.

Every cast member in “Sinners” delivers not just a role, but a lived-in portrayal that elevates the film’s.emotional resonance. Michael B. Jordan is phenomenal, balancing the dual role of Smoke and Stack—twins that couldn’t be more different. Whereas Stack is laid-back and easygoing, Smoke is more stoic and intense, an ex-soldier to the core. Jordan’s physicality and emotional depth in each role is a masterclass. An Academy Award nomination would be no surprise.

Miles Caton may be Hollywood’s latest newcomer, but he sure didn’t act like one. A trained singer after spending most of his teen years touring with Grammy-winning artist H.E.R, he brings his musical experience to the character of Sammie and delivers an exceptional performance of a young man who wants to rise above his circumstances. His portrayal is filled with longing, defiance, and authenticity. His voice — smooth as silk and heavy with sorrow — is unforgettable.

Hailee Steinfeld proves why she was nominated for an Academy Award at just fourteen years old as she acts out her Elizabeth Taylor-esque character Mary with grace and flair. Mary may be white but she’s the type that grew up around black people long enough to understand the black experience. And, yes, even though she’s hated by the majority of the internet and memed on X, Mary is an unforgettable character and we have Steinfeld to thank for delivering one of the most captivating performances of her career.

Nigerian-born British actress Wunmi Mosaku equally holds her weight among the powerhouses as her performance is one of the most-talked-about on social media. Annie is the team’s spiritual compass and survivalist strategist. Her belief in the occult, once mocked, becomes their greatest weapon. Without Annie, the survivors wouldn’t have lasted.

Jack O’Connell makes a bone-chilling villain. As Remmick, he embodies not only supernatural evil but the grotesque legacy of racism and colonization. His performance lingers long after the credits roll.

Delroy Lindo provides some much-needed humor as Delta Slim. His jokes are often ill-timed, but his piano playing and wisdom give the group rhythm and reason. Of course, Li Jun Li as Grace and Jayme Lawson as Pearline enriches the cultural tapestry of the film..

Ludwig Göransson’s score is crucial to the film’s narrative as the haunting blues riffs and ritualistic percussions always evoke a looming evil and impending doom. The sound design heightens the film’s tension as every sound—even the farthest of a cock’s crow — is heard in the film, underscoring the importance of sound in a film’s storytelling.

Coogler approaches the first quarter of the year with a film that’ll be talked about for generations. His bold narrative is a fusion of spirituality and horror, revealing how Christianity was used to demonize African American culture in favor of a whitewashed version of the faith. But the culture is not lost, and any Black person seeking to understand their history can look to “Sinners” as a powerful reference point.

He  has delivered a masterclass in blending genre innovation with cultural critique. Through visceral set pieces, powerhouse performances, and a transcendent score, the film stands as both a thrilling horror epic and a potent allegory for America’s unresolved racial sins. “Sinners” challenges viewers to confront history’s darkest specters—and to find, in the depths of trauma, the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel..

“Sinners” has already received an “A” rating on CinemaScore — the highest for a horror film in 35 years — and it’s easy to see why. It’s thrilling, daring, and  unforgettable.

May the Oscar nomination odds be in its favor!

“Sinners” is still showing in theaters nationwide.

Release Date: April 18, 2025

Runtime: 2 hours, 17 minutes, and 5 seconds

Streaming Service: None. Cinematic Release

Director: Ryan Coogler

Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, Li Jun Li, Yao, Saul Williams, David Maldonado, and Delroy Lindo