Sinners Movie Review (Spoiler Free)

A fantastical, powerful story about two twin siblings from the 1930s. Starring an incredible Michael B. Jordan, brought to life by a visionary director!

Genre: Action / Drama /Fantasy / Horror / Thriller

Director: Ryan Coogler

Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Miles Caton, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Delroy Lindo, Omar Miller, Li Jun Li & Saud Williams.

Run Time: 137 min.

US Release: 18 April 2025

UK Release: 18 April 2025

German Release: 17 April 2025

I finally watched Ryan Coogler’s period crime drama! This feature was on my radar for a long time, though, due to my vacation in Bali and its release date around the same time, I completely forgot about it. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the time to go see it in cinemas once I was back. That is, until I found one last screening a few weeks back. What I witnessed was one of the strongest genre benders of the year, as well as one of the best original movies of the last decade. Jack O’Connell is brilliant, the story is gripping, while Michael B. Jordan plays his soul out. So sing with me through my review, because Sinners is a real slasher.

Returning to their home town, as they try to leave their troubled past behind, two twin brothers try to start anew, only to discover that an even greater evil is lurking in the dark, waiting to welcome them back home. 

Director, writer, plus producer Ryan Coogler obtained the idea for his next project after listening to a blues song, a ritual he started after the death of his uncle, while filming Creed. Coogler grappled with a lot of guilt, as he couldn’t be by his uncles’ side during his final moments, coming up with this blockbuster as a cathartic release. He unifies the thematics of family, religion, faith, also folklore, all under the banner of the Delta Blues music. It is one of his most personal works, as part of his ancestors migrated from Mississippi.

Given its ambitious load of topics to tackle, the fear of the narrative being overloaded is understandable. However, themes are so well intertwined into the central plot, it balances out masterfully while still serving audiences with a fresh, beautifully chaotic, original idea that has depth, plus meaning. The first act of the story introduces characters, fleshes them out, and manifests the setting's community, just like the atmosphere. Further, it explores issues of greed, power, morality, as well as trust, through the lens of a dramatic crime thriller. 

In the second act, the tone shifts, pushing more aspects of lust, inhibition, or intoxication, all considered sinful. Spirituality is one of two main factors that prevail throughout the screenplay's runtime, though it becomes more potent here, as it suggest that music, specifically a certain kind of gifted singers, could pierce the vail between the living and the dead, summoning spirits from past, present or future, but also malignant beings. 

This brings us to the final act, in which horror is unleashed as the powerful music conjures some sort of supernatural being. Influences of Robert Rodriguez, plus Tarantino, are coursing through this showdown, while the terror serves as a metaphor for racial oppression, cultural segregation and systemic exploitation. This is the second main point that looms over the complete runtime, focusing in this final third. 

The setting takes place in the US South, during the Jim Crow laws, explored in exchanges between people. It also intensifies conflict, deepening topics, as preachers are set up against musicians, for example. Finally, the dialogue brings a unique sense of dark humour to the table, countering the serious tone.

Longtime collaborator Michael B. Jordan takes on dual roles as the identical twins, Stack and Smoke, in what just might be his magnum opus. Giving each brother distinct personality features, Jordan manages to flesh out each one by depicting them differently physically, just like emotionally. He also manages to have a different energy when around Mosaku or Steinfeld.  

Talking about them two; Wunmi Mosaku is simply delightful as Annie, who is a hoodoo practitioner. As Smoke’s former partner, she grounded him even deeper through a shared traumatic past. Haillee Steinfeld, as Mary - Stack’s former girlfriend, brings an ecstatic energy to her act. She also recorded the original song “Dangerous”.

Jack O’Connell has been cast as the primary antagonist, Remmick. A man of Irish descent, he brings a visceral brutality to the account. O’Connell gives a realistically charismatic representation, adding some folkloric lore to his persona. 

Miles Caton, who portrays Sammie “Preacher Boy” Moore, is the emotional anchor of the picture. Sammie is the twins' cousin, gifted with an exceptional talent for blues. The music itself is Sammie’s trusted companion, connecting him to everything else around the world, influencing specific supernatural events. Caton gives an amazing rendition, including a powerful vocal performance  

Everything technical is a living, breathing part of this world, which includes the magnificent camera work by cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw. Christopher Nolan, who the reigisseur asked for advice on filming with IMAX cameras, is a clear visual influence. The interchange of aspect ratios between 1.43:1 and 2.76:1 stems from the combined use of Ultra Panavision plus IMAX 15 perf cameras, which the premise was shot in. This gives the imagery a grainy texture that pairs well with the narrative’s time frame, which it plays in. 

The camera trickery, as well as the CG used to double Michael B. Jordan’s image onto his double's face, is fantastically interlaced into the picture. The practical effects, by Michael Fontaine, are effective, creating a sense of despair, as the gore scenes look savagely bloody. The set design stunningly recreates the 1930s streets of rural Mississippi, while the costume design is equally convincing.

As stated before, the music is a character itself, bringing to life much of the world-building, playing an integral part in the core plot. Composer Ludwig Göransson, together with his wife Serena, handled the songs with much care, working closely together with blues producer Lawrence “ Boo” Mitchells. The score was performed primarily on the 1932 Dobro Cyclops resonator guitar, seen in the film.

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Verdict: Half a week after having seen this, I am still in awe by what I witnessed, unable to stop thinking about it. Ryan Coogler tells a deeply personal story, combined with fantastical elements to entertain audiences. Bridging history, horror, racism, religion, crime and culture through immaculate storytelling, he manages to voice a tale of pain soaked in mysticism. The supernatural elements are used as metaphorical references for cultural exploitation. The characters are layered, while the dialogues are rich. Michael B. Jordan gives the performance of a lifetime as two twin brothers involved in criminal schemes. Jack O’Connell is charming as a mysterious baddie with Irish roots. The music, mostly rooted in Delta Blues, is a character as much as the rest of the cast, binding everything together, including a supernatural element. It is a gorgeous movie, audibly as much as visually. Sinners is among the best 2025 has offered so far, deserving a 9.5  out of 10. 

I know I am about two months too late, but if this gets a re-release in cinemas, watch it there! It's absolutely worth it! What are your thoughts on Coogler's latest feature? Leave a comment below & as always, thank you for reading!