At the beginning of 2025 I had Paddington in Peru and Sinners as the only movies at the very top of my 2025 must-watch list. Paddington came out in February, it's not perfect, but it's still up there. And now Sinners, is finally out.
This has nothing to do with race politics, but I must say this is the only film that I was truly looking forward to. I mean, we have Superman and Fantastic Four coming out this year, but Sinners stood out because it was written and directed by Ryan Coogler, easily one of the most creative filmmakers working today.
He’s joined once again by his longtime collaborators: actor Michael B. Jordan and composer Ludwig Göransson, which makes them the dynamic trio. This movie marks what is their fifth film together after Fruitvale Station, Creed, Black Panther, and Wakanda Forever (though for Michael it was more of a cameo).
So, the big question is, does Sinners live up to the hype? Is it worth a theatre ticket or should you wait for it on streaming? Is this possibly the movie of the year?
The basics
Directed by Ryan Coogler with a budget of $90–100 million, Sinners is a supernatural action-horror film set in 1930s Mississippi. Michael B. Jordan plays two roles: notorious twin brothers Elijah “Smoke” and Elias “Stack” Moore, WWI vets who return home to open a juke joint, only to find their community under threat from a lurking evil.
Also starring Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Delroy Lindo and first timer Miles Caton. The film brings together music, spirituality, history, and horror.
What to expect
This is a stunning film, It's beautiful. Music plays a big part of it all, but you could just mute it and just look at it. From the location choice to the period-appropriate costumes and makeup, to the props and sets, every frame looks well thought through and cinematic.
It's one of those period pieces where you can clearly see where the budget went. The production design captures the 1930s South in a way that feels both grounded and authentic.
The movie was shot using IMAX and ultra Panavision 70mm cameras, and it uses shifting aspect ratios to emphasise moments that are both big and small picture wise and during emotional moments.
The cinematography plays with light, shadows, and colour hue to incredible effect, one moment warm and earthy, the next dark and eerie. It’s one of those films that give you the sense that every shot was intentionally structured for the big screen.
Sound design, not to be confused with the music, is rich, layered, and consistently feels like it was purposefully designed to match the tone and personality of the story.
Music is the soul
So now the music, because this is where Sinners becomes something special. Ludwig Göransson and Ryan Coogler build the rhythm of the film around the soundtrack itself. It’s not just background sounds, music is the heart and soul of this film, to the extent that this feels more like a musical. The entire film feels alive and musical in a way most genre films don't even attempt.
In fact, the best way to describe Sinners is a horror musical rather than a straight-up horror film.
On the horror side, it does take a while for the blood and fangs to show up. Think of the structure of From Dusk Till Dawn; the first half is a slow burn, more of setup, while the third act goes all in with the Vampire. If you're here just for the horror, you’ll have to be patient.
The villain and the stakes
Jack O’Connell plays Remmick, the villain. He’s charming, terrifying, and disturbingly convincing all at once.
Like Killmonger in Black Panther, the villian makes a lot of sense, he is pure evil but if you were to stop and assess the situation that the good guys find themselves at from a logical point, he makes sense.
Apart from that, in general, I like the little aspects that they added to the vampires’ personality in this movie that separates them from the vampires we know. Yes, there’s the normal stuff like blood, fangs and the sun, but there are very small tweaks that make the vampires in this movie unique.
The horror and action scenes are some how stylish but intense and because the film spends so much time on story and characters, every kill and emotional moments feels earned.
The jump from drama, music, and dance may be jarring for some people, but it takes only a few scenes to get back into it because of the emotional investments.
The cast
Michael B. Jordan is excellent here, pulling off two fully distinct characters. His twin roles are differentiated by posture, cadence, and subtle vocal shifts. You never forget you’re watching one actor, but he sells the concept of two different personalities very well.
Delroy Lindo brings a strange, compelling energy in a small but memorable role. Wunmi Mosaku plays Annie, a healer with deep spiritual knowledge, and has some of the film’s most emotional scenes. And newcomer Miles Caton, in his debut role as Sammie, holds his own alongside the more experienced actors.
Hailee Steinfeld is magnetic as Mary, Stack’s previous love interest. I like where they take the character because in terms of performance, you see her pushed into some interesting places.
Ryan Coogler’s vision
Some will call this a vampire horror film. And while that’s technically true, calling this just a vampire movie feels like underselling what Coogler’s really doing here.
What impressed me most is how Coogler blends genres without losing focus. Sinners is grand in scope and concept, there’s music, horror, humour, very smart social commentary, folklore, but it never feels like too much. He keeps it grounded, personal, and intentional, he doesn't make the mistake most modern movies keeping making. The spiritual themes and cultural weight are never shoved in your face.
Instead, they’re woven into the music, the costumes, the characters' choices in a way that feels natural and grounded.
The result is something that feels both familiar yet very different: a horror film that’s also a musical, a period drama that’s also a vampire story, a genre movie that’s also art.
Cinema or stream?
See it in a theatre. On the biggest screen possible. I mean, this was shot with IMAX cameras, and it shows. The sound, the visuals, the vibe, it’s all part of a very immersive experience. For any cinephile waiting to watch this at home is a disservice to yourself.
Final thoughts
Look, let’s be honest with ourselves for a minute. Filmgoing is a very expensive hobby, and a lot of modern movies don’t make it feel worth it anymore, apart from random gems like Warfare that pop up every now and then. But then something like Sinners comes along and reminds you of that feeling.
Which feeling, I see you ask? That feeling of walking out of the theatre smiling like an idiot, thinking to yourself, “That was awesome.”
What I’m trying to say in the basic sense is, Sinners is a masterpiece.
