Sinners (2025) - Film Review

      Sinners, 2025.

      Written and Directed by Ryan Coogler.

      Featuring Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller, Delroy Lindo, Li Jun Li, Lola Kirke, Yao, Miles Caton, Peter Dreimanis, Christian Robinson, Jermaine Mctizic, MD. Shinha Sarder, Alamgir Hossain Raj, and MD. Meyaraz Hossen Rahad.

      SYNOPSIS:

      Desiring to escape their troubled lives, twin brothers return to their hometown to start anew, only to find that a greater evil awaits them.

      Around the midpoint, Ryan Coogler’s high-concept film Sinners, set in 1930s Mississippi, presents a captivating sequence that encompasses everything one seeks in a studio blockbuster. This occurs after twins Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan in a dual role, both characters exuding charisma, complexity, strength, intensity, and internal conflict, while also experiencing disagreements with each other, showcasing his brilliance as a movie star) return home after serving in World War I, where they previously worked with Al Capone in Chicago, accumulating considerable wealth. They have opened their dream juke joint, revamped from an abandoned sawmill purchased from racists who may seek to reclaim it.

      Rich with cultural and musical elements (largely Black but also featuring a hint of Irish through Jack O’Connell's menacing jig, Asian characters, and a touch of white presence via a friend played by Hailee Steinfeld), music is depicted in a mythologically infused graphic as possessing the powerful ability to bridge the gap between life and death. The aspect ratio shifts to IMAX, smoothly navigating the space (thanks to exceptional cinematography by Autumn Durald Arkapaw) while subtly exploring the evolution of that culture and music without drawing excessive attention to itself.

      Accompanied by uplifting, soul-stirring musical performances and a memorable score by Ludwig Göransson that captures grace when it’s not engaging in tense, action-driven moments with a thrilling series of guitar riffs, this set piece showcases Ryan Coogler’s astounding skill as a filmmaker; it’s an awe-inspiring display of cinematic artistry. The highly regarded director of Black Panther and Fruitvale Station is fully engaged here, delving into recurring themes from his past works, such as the concept of freedom, while applying a genre twist to critique the appropriation of Black culture by white artists for their own stardom (think Elvis Presley) in the pursuit of assimilation through proposed unity. While delving into specifics might be beneficial, it would be far more enlightening to hear this perspective from a Black critic, as I can only confidently discuss its psychological depth. Following this, Ryan Coogler could have quickly descended into relentless violence, yet he wisely allows the characters and their dynamics to evolve before culminating in a spectacular, blood-soaked explosion.

      Sinners is a gradual unfolding, gently introducing its characters and momentarily leading the twins down separate paths as they gather materials and crew for the grand opening of their juke joint. Stack teams up with their musically talented cousin Sammie (Miles Caton), who is conflicted between pursuing his dreams and succumbing to his religiously fervent father’s beliefs, who denounces them as drunken philanderers and warns that dancing with the devil will bring it home. Together, they run into Stack’s former partner, Mary (Hailee Steinfeld), who is mourning her mother and frustrated that Stack could not pay his respects. Mary nearly invites herself to the juke joint's opening.

      Meanwhile, Smoke reconnects with his estranged partner Annie (an emotionally layered performance from Wunmi Mosaku), a specialist in unorthodox medicines and esoteric knowledge, making her the essential intelligent character when chaos invades the juke joint. They share a tragic history that caused their rift and has left a void in Smoke’s heart. Nevertheless, they begin to reconcile, and she is invited as well.

      Supporting cast members deliver compelling performances, such as Delroy Lindo as a drunkard who offers to exchange Irish beer from Chicago for a chance to play his harmonica at the twins’ establishment, an Asian couple (Helena Hu and Yao) tasked with designing signs and menus, while also being invited to join the festivities, a bumbling but strong figure for a bouncer (Omar Benson Miller), and various talented musicians showcased through captivating performances. Jack O’Connell's character, Remmick, crashes the party, harboring secrets with his companions, yet presenting an offer that could secure the financial future of the juke joint at the potential cost of its Black identity.

      Despite some impactful moments, the characters sometimes lack depth, and not every plot point feels fully developed. This is about as much as can be said regarding the plot. I