Sinners is a Southern Gothic Horror/Thriller Steepled in the Blues

Every family has a fable from an elder, centered around a generational curse that apparently can follow a family for decades, creating dissension trauma, and ill will among the masses.  This fifth collaboration between Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan, not only delves into generational curses, but gives you a sexy musical horror thriller, leaving audiences, gasping and begging for more .

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both played to perfection by Michael B. Jordan) return to their hometown to start again, only to discover an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back making this tag line “You keep dancing with the devil, one day he’s gonna follow you home” even more palpable.

Sinners is the first film Coogler has written/directed not based on a franchise since Fruitvale Station and his creativity is on full display with a vampire flick rooted in hoodoo, blues and what it means to have unconditional love and respect for ancestral African heritage calling out sins of the Jim Crow South in America.  Sounds like a lot for a horror film?  It is in the best way possible.

From the Haint Blue painted on the doors of the juke joint (infiltrated by Oscar winning production designer Hannah Beachler) to the blues music of the legendary Buddy Guy, Coogler and his team lean into the horror genre through a uniquely Southern Gothic lens. Set in the post-Reconstruction South also using costume design (from the always amazing Academy Award-winning Ruth E. Carter) as a powerful storytelling tool which weaves in elements of history, spirituality and the supernatural.

Yet, the performances are the glue that bind this story together.  Michael B. Jordan, inhabiting twin brothers that are distinctly different in tone and verbiage ring authentically true providing him with one of his best screen roles to date.  Delroy Lindo, mostly seen on-screen in dramas ranging from “Malcolm X” to “Da 5 Bloods,” leans into a more comedic side which is a highlight of the film.  In his film debut, Miles Caton, a largely unknown 19-year-old from Brooklyn was cast in the pivotal role of Young Sammie, a.k.a. Preacher Boy, a prodigy blues guitarist who sets off with his cousins (Smoke and Stack) and joins their pursuit of opening a juke joint that night. Caton is simply a star.  His natural acting ability coupled with exceptional guitar playing and vocals make him a standout amongst a sea of veterans.

But the women of the film are strong, solid and unforgettable.  Hailee Steinfeld as Mary has finally leaned into adulthood with a raw sexiness that makes the screen sizzle whether paired with Jordan or not.  Wunmi Mosaku is one of my favs as her soothing sexuality isn’t just in how she inhabits Annie, but in her confidence that innately comes with being a Black woman. Yi Jun Li’s strength as Grace comes in the face of being a devoted and badass mother and wife – while leaning into her own independence as a business woman.

Sinners is a musical, horror film steeped in generational trauma and drama with the blues and folk music providing the backdrop.  Your jaws will be dropped to your crack in more ways than more especially during some of those explicit sex scenes,  However, in a time where our history is attempting to be erased at every give turn, Sinners is a stark reminder that horror stories can be resoundingly truthful between the lines.