Twin brothers Smoke and Stack, who are former WWI soldiers, decide to depart their terrible lives and return to their hometown in the Mississippi Delta where they plan to open their own music pub.
It never crosses their mind, however, that the opening night of the pub will go awry and turn their lives upside down.
In Sinners, a new movie by Ryan Coogler, the twins return home from Chicago after making a fortune from criminal activity.
They build their juke joint with a plan to turn it into a sanctuary for Black people and escape the domination of the white community.
This is a thriller/horror film set in the first half of the 20th century, specifically on October 15, 1936.
It begins with the twins gathering their friends to seek their help in starting this business. The journey the twins undertake to gather their friends is enjoyable, and the variety of characters, including a loyal wife, a young aspiring singer, and an old musician, are well-chosen to form a small Afro-American community in the pub.
Through these characters, the film explores the structure of the American society and the suffering of Black people.
Despite being a horror work, the movie does not rely solely on jump scares. Instead, it presents a compelling story full of excellent music and vivid characters.
It begins as a historical drama, but quickly turns into a vampire horror film. The movie cleverly blends horror moments with dance and music.
Choosing the Mississippi Delta as their homeland is particularly suitable, especially given the fact that this northwest section of the American state of Mississippi is home to a large number of African Americans. It is also replete with legendary tales.
Coogler successfully captures the 1930s, in which the events of the film take place.
The decor, flapper dresses for women, three-piece suits for men, vintage musical instruments, and vintage cars are all well-crafted to transport the audience back in time.
The director’s use of songs is wonderful, as they intertwine throughout the events, and the singing scenes also contribute to the development of the plot.
Songs performed by young singer Sammie Moore (Miles Caton) stimulate the appetite of the white vampire who sees Sammie’s talent as an asset he should possess.
This serves as a symbol of the exploitation of Black music and culture by white musicians, highlighting how music is an integral part of the Black identity, with genres like Blues and Jazz, originating primarily from African American music.
The horror in the movie, particularly featuring the white man as a vampire, interprets the history of Black people. Vampires here do not merely feed on the blood of the living, but are portrayed as monsters that feed on Black culture.
The performance of the entire cast is one of the film’s strengths, especially Michael B. Jordan’s portrayal of the twins. He succeeds in making each brother distinct. Miles Caton also delivers a very natural performance.
Far from being only a horror film, Sinners is also a rich artistic work full of thought-provoking concepts and great music. It is another successful work by Coogler, one that adds to his previous successful films like Creed and Black Panther.
Sinners offers a wonderful experience, being one of the best films of the year.
