Sinners Movie Review

Sinners (2025)

Rent Sinners on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Ryan Coogler
Directed by: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O'Connell, Delroy Lindo, Wunmi Mosaku, Omar Miller
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
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.

Verdict
Not only does Michael B. Jordan do such a great job depicting twins, this is an engrossing horror movie that marries action, music, and social structure. This establishes two brothers and their goal before things soon spin out of control. While survivors versus vampires is nothing new, this has developed the characters enough that it doesn't feel cheap. You can't ignore the similarities between the violence of the vampires and that from white people during that time. This movie attempts a lot and succeeds on every front.
Watch It.

Review
Set in 1932, we get an introduction about how gifted singers attract evil before we see a man with serious wounds grasping the neck of a broken guitar walking into a church.

Part of this movie's draw is Michael B. Jordan playing dual roles of the Moore brothers and trying to see the seams with the two characters together. While this smartly gives Smoke a blue hat and Stack a red hat, Jordan does an excellent job of distinguishing them in demeanor and speech. The first scene with the brothers has one hand a cigarette to the other, establishing that the audience won't find the seams.

Michael B. Jordan plays Stack & Smoke Moore

The twins are back in their hometown after a stint in Chicago. They have a certain level of notoriety, and they don't mince words. Their plan is to start a dance club, recruiting a cook, bouncer, and musical talent. Smoke and Stack come into this town with a swagger, but this is a world where black people are second class citizens.

Miles Caton plays Sammie Moore

In just thirty minutes it's clear this is a remarkable movie; in revealing and distinguishing characters, the foreshadowing, and even the music. This gives the twins enough backstory to make them intriguing, but it also doesn't get lost in trying to explain it all. Somehow the brothers get enough money and supplies to open their club that very night. Their cousin Sammie (Miles Caton) is the headlining act. He's not just good at the blues, he's supernatural. His playing invokes the spirit of music across the ages. It's a neat sequence as the music transcends time and space. But his music also brings vampires.

This does a great job of juxtaposing the music and action. The music is good which sells the concept. I love how this plays with the trope that vampires need permission to enter a building. As part of the audience, we know what happens if they are granted entrance, but Smoke and Stack aren't keen on letting white people in the club and the trouble that could bring.

Michael B. Jordan, Omar Miller play Stack & Smoke Moore, Cornbread

This kicks off and it's such a good sequence. It's surprising, bold, and chaotic. While this has some jump scares, they feel earned. After the first attack, the ones left in the club begin doubting each other while also having to prepare for what awaits outside. This movie is wild. It expertly captures frenetic action and hopelessness. There's also a depth to this. We've seen movies set in this time period where white people would gather outside a club like this and attempt to burn it down. This plays with that concept as the vampires can't enter unless invited, and they too are after destruction.

To make a horror movie that features a deft story, that doesn't rely on cheap scares, is formidable. The mid-credits scenes really takes this up a notch, creating such a nice moment.