Sinners, Ryan Coogler’s first original project, sees the Oakland native reach new heights from the director’s chair. There is so much to love in this film that begs to be seen on the big screen.
★★★★★
Ryan Coogler has worked closely with Michael B. Jordan on his four previous feature films and the dynamic duo are back with what is arguably the film of the year. Receiving rave reviews and breaking box-office records, Sinners is proving to be a much-deserved smash hit.
Here, Jordan delivers not one but two unforgettable performances as the infamous twins Smoke and Stack, returning home to set up a juke joint playing blues music. Cousin Sammie (Miles Caton), lost loves Annie (Wunmi Mosaku) and Mary (Hailee Steinfeld) and old friends Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo) and Cornbread (Omar Benson Miller) are among those enlisted to help with the grand opening, but more sinister powers are at play as darkness descends on the event.
Coogler’s comedic chops really come to the fore in Sinners to a level we haven’t necessarily seen before. There are some great moments of humour on display in a film that is otherwise a menacing descent into evil, spurred on by these outside sources. Jack O’Connell’s antagonist Remmick is a natural source of comedic relief given the role he plays, but Delta Slim and the twins will have you cracking up just as much with their sharp and witty comments.
Another slight surprise, owing to the nature of his previous work, is just how seductive the film is. It boasts an alluring feeling far beyond just the sex scenes, whether that be with the colour palette or the dialogue—and, of course, the music. Vampires feasting on the necks of their victims is naturally sexy in many ways but Coogler is able to elevate it even further with lines so daring that they may catch you off guard.
Every good film needs a good cast, and Sinners certainly has what it takes to snag the inaugural Best Ensemble Cast/Best Casting award at next year’s Oscars ceremony. As previously mentioned, Jordan is spectacular, reminding the audience of his star-power ability as a born frontman, whilst legend of the industry Delroy Lindo proves that he’s still going strong in his early 70s.
So many of the performances deserve recognition but none more so than that of Miles Caton, a teenager at the time of filming, making his big-screen debut. Not only does he deliver in the acting department but his singing, particularly of ‘I Lied To You’, is mesmerising. The scene featuring that song is breathtaking, before taking a more unnerving tone as the atmosphere shifts, providing the perfect set-up for the arrival of evil. Through all of this, an ethereal sensation remains with the sights and sounds and Caton’s voice plays a significant role in this.
Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw and Ludwig Göransson are also regular Coogler collaborators, the former having worked with the director on Wakanda Forever and the latter having put together the score for all five of Coogler’s films to date. This familiarity rings true with Coogler firing on all cylinders, operating at his best with the people he knows best around him. Göransson’s score is so varied and provokes such emotion, picking up the pace at the right moments and reaching a crescendo when the drama is at its peak. Sound is also used incredibly well when two stomping scenes are intertwined, one of stomping along with blues music and another with stomping on a gambling cheat.
This music and the culture that runs throughout the whole film is so rich that you just can’t help but be swept along for the ride from minute one, a montage detailing black history providing further evidence of Coogler’s greatness. Another simple yet effective technique is the use of natural light. It beams through in earlier stages, but as the vampire cohort closes in on their destination, the sun goes down and they can come out to play. Remmick’s red eyes pierce the veil between screen and viewer strikingly enough to haunt you for days to come.
The Verdict
There are not enough superlatives in the world to describe the sensations and feelings that comes with watching Sinners on the big screen. If he wasn’t already, Ryan Coogler is now firmly in the ranks of our very best working directors—arriving like a stake through the heart.
Words by Jamie Rooke
Sinners released in UK cinemas on April 18
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