‘Sinners’ Is A Tour-De-Force Of Culture, Commentary And Vampires

Michael B. Jordan and Miles Caton in Sinners. (Photo credit: Warner Bros.)

Director:

Ryan Coogler

Written by:

Ryan Coogler

Starring:

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

Synopsis (WB):

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

My review:

When I returned from the theater, I posted my snapshot review on TikTok and Instagram. At the time, I gave the film an 8/10.

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After marinating on it for a few days, my first reaction is my real reaction, but I can add some more nuance to how I feel about the film now.

Sinners excels at how it successfully and succinctly illustrates how culturally, ethnically, and politically layered the South is. Yes, is, not was–while the film is set in the 1930s, a lot of the social and political constructs of the time still echo today. For example, I remember when I was around 10 years old or so, attending the Magic City Art Connection with my family, and the Ku Klux Klan was having a march right across the street. This was in downtown Birmingham in the 1990s, well after the Civil Rights Movement and the KKK’s time in power. Sure, they couldn’t attack anyone like they used to back in their heyday, but just because they could apply for a parade permit, they could walk in broad daylight. I distinctly remember my dad being pissed and trying to shield us from looking at them. But he still told us the truth of the matter–that racism was still allowed its day, in the midst of families of all races trying to have fun.

Sinners gives voice to the various layers of cultural and social friction and community–the hot tamale store signifies the relationship between Black people and Mexican immigrants, Bo and Grace Chow (Yao, Li) represent the sizeable Chinese immigrant community in the Gulf, and of course, you have the white people of Mississippi. These white people are trained to live in fear and believe it to be comfort. The KKK openly runs the town and “keep order.” Meanwhile, they’re the ones causing the most havoc and violence.

The throughline about community gets even stronger in the scene within the juke joint itself. Sammie’s (Caton) griot ability to pierce the veil with his music brought us a scene that I haven’t seen before in film, and it’s one that quickly brings home the point that Black music and Black culture have created American culture as we know it. However, that work to create culture is also shared–Chinese immigrants have brought over their customs and beliefs, and even though they weren’t pictured in this scene, the Choctaw riders we saw earlier also have their say in what makes America actually great.

This focus on America’s melting pot and its ability to, for brief moments, live up to its ideals is what makes the movie poignant and one worth talking about for decades. That’s not even getting into the filmmaking acumen it takes to have two Michael B. Jordans on screen seamlessly.

The massive number of online conversations has made Sinners more than a movie–it’s a cultural touchstone, and with good reason. Since this is a review, I must point out that some moments confuse some folks. For instance, while great (and undoubtedly my favorite part of the movie), the piercing the veil scene could initially throw some folks off. I say that from my own personal experience watching the scene. At first, I was like, “What’s happening?” before I realized this was the scene everyone had been discussing online.

With as much story as the film tried to cram into its 2 hours and 17 minutes, some parts still could have used even more elaboration. For me, Remmick (O’Connell) is one such part that could have used some backstory, like Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. I get the jist of what makes Remmick tick–he’s an Irish vampire who was turned before race became a construct, yearns for his relatives, and wants Sammie to use his powers to reconnect him with the ancestors he’s cut off from due to his vampirism. Remmick probably didn’t want to be a vampire but decided to use his powers to create a new family for himself. However, some of my thinking is just conjecture. I would have loved a moment in the film when we learn more about Remmick’s backstory and his motivations. Is the film three hours long? Yes. Could I sit through another hour if I got that backstory? More than likely.

Overall, Sinners is a tour-de-force for Coogler, Jordan, and the entire cast. The film has cultural layers and social commentary, and it’s just a great vampire film. In other words, it’s another win for Coogler and his incredible writing and directing talent.

Let me know what you think of Sinners in the comments section below!