You haven’t seen a movie like this before. Sexy and badass - the trailers did not really depict what type of wild ride Ryan Coogler’s 2025 film “Sinners” would take you on. As a genre blending work of fiction, it is a refreshing take on the vampire film as well as a refreshing take on a 1930s Jim Crow era drama that centers on such heavy topics such as racism, the Ku Klux Klan, and what quota you owe your plantation for the day. 

Comparably only to Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” in terms of tone where the movie turns back and forth on a dime mixing humor, drama, and violence into a period film. “Sinners” feels considerably lighter as its themes and allegories are danced on instead of beat into you such as “Django.” Whereas “Django” centered solely on the racism and slavers of the south, “Sinners” primarily uses those themes as a backdrop and setting for a vampire story. 

However, a typical vampire movie “Sinners” is not. This isn’t Jim Crow “Blade.” Vampires in this film serve to occupy a space as one of the many threats facing Blacks in the south. As if that time period, and to some extent, this time period is not oppressive enough; Vampires are added to the mix. Along with Slave owners, the Klan, the Police, systemic racism, religious zealots, and the ever present threat that even if you are free - there is always the chance of going back or recapture. But even though they operate as a threat, in this film, vampirism also serves as a potential escape. A community where all are welcome. A community where all are seen as equal. A community that promises power and everlasting life. To a slave, these seem like alluring options and freedom from bondage and all that is asked of you in return is to become a creature of the night with an insatiable thirst for human blood; to become a sinner. 

The definition of sinner is used to interesting effect in this film. As typically a sinner is a person who commits atrocities against the laws set forth by God. But this film makes it seem like going out at night and simply keeping the company of sinners makes you guilty by association. The simple act of playing music, the blues specifically, makes you a sinner or invites it into your life. As much as this movie has things in common with “Blade” or “Django Unchained,” it has even more in common with the documentary “The Devil At The Crossroads” about the legendary blues musician: Robert Johnson. Both that documentary and “Sinners” dips into that folklore of the South which would have you believe that blues music is an exposure of the soul. In some cases in order to get good at it, if the folklore is to be believed, one would have to sell their soul to the devil or that the devil would approach you at the crossroads (either literally or metaphorically). The devil would then offer you the temptation of money, fame, glory, unfathomable talent, but at the price of your soul. As two paths are presented, you essentially choose the devil and the rewards come with vast consequences. Potentially this is where the parallels of vampirism arrive. As the temptation of vampirism promises  freedom, everlasting life, and community - at what price is it being given? Which is why I found the title of the film so confusing as I was  unsure if the title of sinners was referring to the vampires, blues musicians, or the people that moonlight at bars and clubs at nighttime. I’m dumb so probably all of the above. 

Music takes almost more of the center stage then the vampires as the film opens with introducing us to “Preacher Boy” (Miles Caton) as his father, the local town’s preacher, attempts to convince his son to not go out into the town at night and play the blues. We see this post prohibition era world through Preacher Boy’s naive eyes as he heads off to play music for his ex soldier and ex-convict cousins “Smoke” and “Stack” (Michael B. Jordan) at their newly acquired juke joint. Much as he did with his “Black Panther,” director Ryan Coogler’s music sensibility becomes a core piece of the movie as he treats us to dizzying and mesmerizing sequences of music injected montages fusing classic blues, jazz, hip-hop and even tribal music together. Come award season, the score composed by Ludwig Göransson will definitely be in the conversation if not sweeping the competition. 

One element of this film that I did not expect was the cultural impact the film would have on the black community. Much like the aforementioned “Black Panther” - I was unaware going into this movie that it would be such a cultural event as I was one of the two white men in the theater that was packed. This is a win for several reasons. “Sinners” presents a cross cultural  film that introduces different cultures to each other. For me: fresh exposure to different music such as jazz and the mythology behind it. For others: fresh exposure to vampire lore and the mythology behind that. It’s beautiful in a way that “Sinners” is able to do this in such a fun and entertaining way without badgering the audience with any heavy handed message. It does what movies are supposed to do: open up your mind to new ideas and possibilities while simultaneously entertaining you. But the other reason it’s great is because this movie won number one at the box office and was the top grossing movie the weekend it opened. Which means that if it’s this financially successful, we will see more quality original films like it and that’s never a bad thing. 

If I was to say anything negative about this film is that it’s somewhat predictable. It’s a vampire movie, so no matter the dressing, eventually it will turn into a creature feature that you most likely have seen a version of. The only way it wouldn’t be predictable is if you’ve never seen a trailer or have never seen a vampire movie ever in your life. But the take on the vampire genre is fresh and “Sinners” performances, storytelling and music will keep you engaged the whole time regardless.