Sinners review: A “blues-fuelled, genre-bending vampiric tale”

In his blues-fuelled, genre-bending vampiric tale, Sinners, Ryan Coogler takes viewers to the American South – and not to the swamps of Louisiana familiar to fans of Interview with the Vampire or True Blood. This story instead takes place amid the cotton fields of Mississippi.

The year is 1932. After a long absence, twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both portrayed by Michael B. Jordan) return to the town of Clarksdale. With their cocky attitudes and weapons, they aren’t the sort of gentlemen to be messed with. They are pretty (in)famous in the neighbourhood, partly due to the rumour that they worked for Al Capone himself in Chicago.

However, the twins are ready to leave their criminal past behind them. Smoke and Stack came to their hometown to open a juke joint – a place with alcohol, gambling, and, above all, soulful blues music. Their business seems to be heading in the right direction, with the Black community crowding the club on opening night, ready to rave until sunrise. Unbeknownst to them, the passionate music has also attracted some unwarranted, demonic attention.  

If you’re watching Sinners for the bloodshed, you may be surprised by the amount of time dedicated to characters conversing, telling stories and singing. Coogler’s film still has that supernatural twist, but the primary focus is to portray the Black people of Mississippi and pay tribute to blues music – something the film achieves with great panache. 

The director dives into the 1930s South, where racial segregation thrives, and the Ku Klux Klan threat looms over the Black community. Before a single vampire appears, you’ll visit cotton fields, a church, and a town divided into sections for Black and white people. You’ll meet a stern pastor, blues musicians and a spiritual leader practising Hoodoo, and you’ll hear tales of violence and social injustice, but also about sex and love.

The blues, which used to be called the devil’s music, saturate the film. But that’s not all – Irish songs smoothly ooze into the movie, creating an explosive mixture with African American tunes. Both blues and folk standards blend well with the soundtrack composed by Ludwig Göransson. Let me be clear: Göransson can boldly compete for his second Oscar for Best Original Score thanks to his work on Sinners. 

Sinners contains many great musical scenes, but two are particularly mesmerising. One takes place in a juke joint when a young musician, Sammie (Miles Caton), causes “the present to blend with the past and the future”. The other is an explosion of Irish folk triggered by the European vampire, Remmick (Jack O’Connell). You can call those sequences over-the-top, but you can’t deny their creativity and anarchic energy.

The music in Sinners is rebellious and erotic, expressing both suffering and pleasure – it’s no surprise that vampires are drawn to it. But Coogler doesn’t take these creatures too seriously. Their portrayal has a lot of exaggeration and humour (get ready for the banjo-playing vampire), giving the vibe of From Dusk Till Dawn monsters. 

Warner Bros. Pictures

Coogler willingly mixes various film genres for Sinners, mashing a drama with a dose of musical and a splash of comedy. There are even influences from Western, gangster films and survival horror. Does this crazy mix of styles work? Both yes and no. 

On the one hand, there’s no doubt that Sinners is a passion project. The film has an intriguing story with surprising parallels between the Black community and a Celtic vampire. On the flip side, the movie sometimes feels overloaded with ideas and bogged down by its social drama.

Also, I can’t help feeling that Ryan Coogler doesn’t have much faith in the audience. Some information is repeated too often, and the story doesn’t leave much space for mystery and conjecture. The director holds the audience’s hand, explaining everything too quickly and neatly. As a result, the suspense fades away.

Sinners is undoubtedly an interesting film. There are some fascinating musical sequences that I’ll be eager to rewatch. Acting performances are also strong – besides Michael B. Jordan and Jack O’Connell, the movie features Wunmi Mosaku, Hailee Steinfeld and Delroy Lindo, among others. 

However, the story would benefit from ambiguity and some space to interpret and speculate. If Ryan Coogler had leaned into this, Sinners could have been an outstanding movie.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Should you watch Sinners?

Ryan Coogler’s take on vampires may not be for everyone. Sinners is a slow-burn exploration of Black history and a passionate celebration of music, and less of a classic bloodthirsty tale. 

It’s an ambitious mix of genres… sometimes bordering on too ambitious. It could have also benefited from being less literal with its plot beats.

However, if you have a warm spot in your heart for blues and Irish folk, if you’re open to something a bit more eclectic, give Sinners a try. And don’t rush out of the cinema, since there’s an essential mid-credit scene. 

Sinners is out in cinemas on 18 April 2025. If you’re in the UK, you can get tickets from Cineworld, Vue and Odeon. Those in America can get them from AMC Theatres, Fandango and Atom Tickets.

Related articles