Spoilers have a few confessions to make.

This feature is the perfect example of movies that I really enjoy but have a certain tonal dissonance as a whole. Every film has things to enjoy mixed in with a few flaws. This is one of those films that seems to be doing just a little too much. It is definitely worth watching and it is definitely entertaining, but I do feel some decisions it makes are questionable. Now considering everything that is out there, this still makes this film above average and I’m still going to end up recommending you watch it.

(Credit: Proximity Media)

Sinners (2025) is written directed by Ryan Coogler. It’s Mississippi of 1932 and twin brothers Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan) are returning to their hometown after hitting something big in Chicago. They’re now using that cash to set up a juke joint and are recruiting amongst the community to have a big opening night. They invite their young guitarist cousin Sammie (Miles Caton) to join them, despite his preacher father’s opposition. Coming along are also Annie (Wunmi Mosaku), a partner of Smoke that is into Hoodoo, Stack’s half-black ex-girlfriend Mary (Hailee Steinfeld) and Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo) a legendary piano player. A lot more will join them as things start rolling along.

This first premise is a pure period drama that starts to get mixed with horror only when an irishman named Remmick (Jack O’ Donnell) appears wanting to join in the fun. By this time, we’ve been introduced to enough characters to know bodies are going to start dropping and rising back up in no time. Thankfully, these vampires are the old world kind, and cannot trespass a human house without invitation. Unfortunately, they seem attracted by Sammie’s musical talent and are not willing to leave.

This is a great looking and specially sounding film. There’s a lot of musical talent in display and the acting is quite appropriate. Jordan plays two very likeable scoundrels that care not a single bit for the racial insensibilities of the time. The rest of the cast are very engaging except one. I couldn’t help but feeling Hailee Steinfeld’s Mary is a bit of a forced character into the cast. Although the film has a satisfying outcome in all fronts, it also feels a bit too Marvel-inspired with its after credit cutscene detailing the future of a surviving character.

I welcomed the old style villain vampire role, where turned characters seemed to be able to remember and mimic expressions and relationships of their past but psychotically exploit them to bait their victims. Unfortunately this is negated a bit by the post-credit cutscene. The narrative is disparagingly polarizing, good characters are allied with the twin brothers, bad characters are everyone else. The mixing of genres will be refreshing for some but jarring to others. However, I found the forced tragic but happy ending a little bit too patronizing. It was like tragedy had to be served with some sweetness to go down.

Strongly recommended with some reservations. It’s very well made and entertaining for most people, but the horror in it becomes mellowed down by the end. I wish it would’ve skipped resolving its main character threads because it softens out the horror in the end. Worth watching for sure.

Regards.