Film Reviews: Some Sinners Never Seem To Die

Sinners is a new horror film written and directed by Ryan Coogler, and it holds up rather well considering the genre. Coogler has gained some deserved acclaim for Black Panther and the Creed films. This film isn’t going to be the one to knock him off his perch.

Michael B. Jordan has a dual role playing twin brothers known as Smoke and Stack. Okay, the nicknames are a little over the top, but I do still think being called Smoke at least would be kind of cool. Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Wunmu Mosaku, Delroy Lindo, and Miles Caton are included in the cast and are solid choices.

Smoke and Stack leave the urban troubles of gangster-ridden Chicago and return to the Mississippi Delta with a lot of cash and ambitions to open a juke joint in 1932. Past romances seem to be rekindled. Old friends unite to pull off this little party, and troubles involving the Ku Klux Klan aren’t going to be a major headache. Of course, Smoke and Stack are former soldiers and gangsters, so they are not so easily perturbed by racists and killers. When the vampires crash the party, that’s a little different matter.

First of all, the setting is great. Jordan is easily a compelling presence, and he does well with playing both brothers. The cast altogether is quite effective. The brothers have a cousin they recruit for the musical talent. Miles Caton is a great find with his smooth baritone. This seems to be the early days of the blues, and the soundtrack is pretty captivating. The idea in the film is that blues music can have mystical powers when played by the right musician. I can almost buy it after this film.

O’Connell plays the lead vampire, who happens to be Irish, and that culture seems to get kind of a nod as well.

The story takes its time getting going, but once the bad guys are revealed, it gets interesting and would be terrifying if I was a bit more of a nervous disposition.

There are some interesting twists toward the end. There are plenty of vampire flicks, but Coogler seems to found a vein of something original.

This film did ensure that I will be keeping an eye out for Coogler’s next project.