Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is not just one of 2025’s most discussed films—it’s a genre-defying epic that fuses horror, social allegory, and Southern superstition into a simmering, stylized fever dream. Part creature feature, part historical elegy, and part family tragedy, Coogler’s film stands out for its ambition and the striking dual performance from Michael B. Jordan.
Story: Blood, Blues, and Unforgiven Sins
Set in 1932 Mississippi, Sinners follows criminal twins Elijah “Smoke” Moore and Elias “Stack” Moore (both played with astonishing distinction by Michael B. Jordan) as they return home hoping to open a new juke joint and leave their violent past behind. But the South’s evil—both human and inhuman—welcomes them with open arms. As they gather friends and family (including a mesmerizing Wunmi Mosaku as Annie, a Hoodoo conjurer, and Delroy Lindo as bluesman Delta Slim) for the club’s opening, they unwittingly awaken an ancient threat: a clan of white vampires led by the charismatic Remmick (Jack O’Connell), who turns Stack’s old flame Mary (Hailee Steinfeld) and spurs a deadly, nocturnal siege.
What begins as a celebration of music and Black joy swiftly turns into a harrowing night of temptation, violence, and supernatural horror. The vampires, repelled by garlic and traditional lore, want what the twins are building—a community, a sense of belonging, a freedom denied by both racism and monstrous predation.
Performances: Michael B. Jordan, Double Trouble
Jordan’s double act as both the brooding, responsible Smoke and the volatile, pleasure-seeking Stack is a revelation. Both brothers are visually and emotionally distinct—Coogler uses color theory (blue for Smoke, red for Stack) but Jordan makes the division so convincing it feels almost supernatural. Hailee Steinfeld’s Mary sways between tragic lover and monstrous seductress, leaving a memorable mark in her transformation. Wunmi Mosaku, as the grief-shattered Annie, provides both emotional ballast and visceral horror as tensions escalate.
Supporting turns from Miles Caton (Sammie, the twins’ musically gifted cousin), Jayme Lawson, Li Jun Li, Omar Miller, and Delroy Lindo round out an ensemble that makes the juke joint feel lived-in and bursting with history.
Direction, Style & Themes
Visually, the film is lush—Autumn Durald Arkapaw’s cinematography drenches rural Mississippi in both radiant blues and oppressive shadows, heightening the boundary between sanctuary and peril. Coogler’s collaborative history with Jordan shows: the camera lingers on the twins’ faces, their pain, hope, and defiance in the face of every betrayal.
The film’s first act grounds us in Black Southern family, musical tradition, and the thrill and terror of chasing dreams under the boot of Jim Crow. But when the vampires arrive, the film crescendos into a blend of supernatural horror and social metaphor. Vampirism becomes a chilling symbol for systems that prey on the living spirit of Black folks—a curse that promises freedom but extracts an even steeper price.
Ludwig Göransson’s score turns blues, gospel, and horror beats into a living pulse that underscores the juke joint’s role as both refuge and target.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths:
- Michael B. Jordan’s transformative double-lead performance.
- Atmospheric visuals and sound—a world that feels both mythic and real.
- Complex, non-didactic engagement with themes of race, legacy, and the destructive lure of immortality.
- Supporting cast (Hailee Steinfeld, Wunmi Mosaku, Delroy Lindo) deliver indelible turns.
Weaknesses:
- At over two hours, the film can feel structurally misshapen, especially during its character-heavy first act before the horror kicks in.
- Some reviewers found the vampire metaphor heavy-handed or tonally jarring; not every genre experiment pays off.
- Secondary arcs (like the Klan and their supernatural complicity) at times lose narrative focus in the film’s ambition to say and do so much.
Final Verdict
Sinners is a moody, audacious hybrid—part spiritual parable, part pulsating Southern horror, and part historic lament. It’s a film that refuses to offer easy catharsis, ending on a bittersweet note that lingers long after the credits roll. Jordan’s performance(s) alone are worth the ticket, but Coogler’s vision—flawed, messy, bold—cements the film’s place as one of the year’s must-see releases.
Rating: 5/5 stars. Visually sumptuous, narratively ambitious, and occasionally overwhelming, Sinners swings for the fences and, while imperfect, delivers a spectacle that’s both chilling and profoundly moving.
Viewer Tip: Don’t expect a conventional horror flick. Prepare for a soulful, blood-soaked Southern epic that asks you to feel before it frightens you you.