Sinners (2025)

Sinners is one of those films that I saw purely because the trailer made me curious. I didn't know too much about it. This is despite the fact that trailers tend to spoil things with all the twists and turns which leaves you slightly disappointed and I feel robbed of those sort of moments. The plot sees twin brothers Smoke and Stack open up a juke joint after buying an abandoned sawmill from a racist landowner. Things seem to be going well until vampires turn up and start to ruin things.

It’s fair to say that Michael B. Jordan is really very good as Smoke and Stack. There is just enough to separate the performances but from start to finish he brings something amazing to the film. Smoke and Stack are always throwing money around and always seem to be in control but when things go wrong he is just as powerless as everyone else.

The true revelation of this film was Miles Caton. It's rare that an actor’s voice is so wonderful that you want to hear them read an audiobook, especially nowadays. Also I am hoping he was playing and singing because he does that very well. Even if he doesn't then his performance as Sammie is very good and even next to Michael B. Jordan he more than holds his own as a strong and likeable person. Hailee Steinfeld was perfectly fine as Mary but I thought that she didn't really have much of a character. They refer to her past relationship with Stack but there isn't much else. It isn't until Mary becomes a vampire that she has something to do and even then it's not very much. Delroy Lindo is as good as he always is and does provide some light hearted moments. There were more than a couple of people laughing when Delta says that he soiled himself. Lindo is one of those actors that always elevates whatever he is in. The character like Mary doesn't have a huge amount of backstory apart from his opening scene but he manages to make it seem like something substantial. Even though Jordan is the lead, the film has a wealth of supporting characters who help in different ways to make this seem like a big deal.

The success of this film comes down to the fact that it has several genres in one film. There is a racial undertone throughout and then it becomes a vampire film completely out of nowhere. Not knowing that this is a vampire movie means that you are more. The film seems to be plodding along and then Jack O’Connell literally runs onto the screen and turns two KKK members into vampires and it's at this point that the film becomes really good as its an singular setting and no hope of rescue even if rescue wanted to help. The film starts and ends with Sammie walking into a church with his broken guitar with his father wanting him to renounce his music and repent. I say ends but then as the credits start it seems that the film has ended but then the story moves to 1992 with a much older Sammie being reunited with Stack and Mary. It’s revealed Stack made a deal with Smoke. Stack would be allowed to live if Sammie got his freedom when Sammie is offered a chance at immortality he declines and there is a lovely moment when they all agree that that evening was the best night of their lives which is a weird thing to say considering what happened.

Going into this film knowing very little is the ideal way but if you have had the twist spoiled then I suspect that you will still enjoy this film because it never felt boring and shifts what in tones and yet it all comes together to make a film that keeps you guessing from start to finish and I wish more films would take this kind of risk because whilst it wont work every single time, it will lead to potential gems like this. This sort of film should be watched repeatedly and I’m glad that I went to see it at the cinema and it was a well attended screening for 1pm on a Friday afternoon.