Hollywood is home to many famous duos, such as Lebron James and Luka Doncic, but a duo in Hollywood that never misses is Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan.
From their start together on the film ”Fruitvale Station”, to the blockbuster heights of Marvel’s ”Black Panther”, their collaborations have been record-breaking work. Coogler and Jordan consistently bring their swagger and realism across genres. Coogler’s newest film, ”Sinners” is no exception to this. This vampire thriller is emotionally rich and visually stunning, while also holding a unique story.
Coogler and Jordan have been an amazing duo since Coogler’s directing debut in “Fruitvale Station”, another fantastic watch, and their careers have only exploded from there — working on phenomenal projects such as the movie “Creed” and “Black Panther”. Through these films, they were able to show their potential and versatility. “Sinners” offered them the opportunity to leap into the horror genre.
I have always been a massive fan of Coogler and his personality, so when I heard of the demands he had when it came to directing “Sinners”, I was all for it. Ensuring that this film stayed true to his vision, he demanded the following: final cut of the film, first- dollar gross, and full ownership rights that would revert to him after 25 years.
The first-dollar gross deal shows how much Coogler bet on himself and the story. The first-dollar gross deal allows Coogler to profit from the film from the first dollar instead of waiting for the studio to recoup their costs first. He was also able to secure ownership of the film coming back to him after 25 years, cementing that his piece of art will forever be tied to his family lineage.
What excites me the most about Coogler’s work — the shining star in each of his projects — is his cinematography. The visual storytelling of “Sinners” is top-notch, from the shifting of aspect ratios to the way he focuses on the characters’ reactions.
Coogler made the powerful choice to use sound instead of traditional flashbacks. Instead of showing a traumatic event like the past of the main characters, the Smokestack twins, we instead hear the event. Screaming and crying, like the memories don’t want to be brought up. This audio storytelling technique allows the audience to fill in the blanks.
Coogler showcases his love for long takes in a particular scene, and with no surprise, it is the highlight of the film. The long take of Sammie (Miles Caton) performing in the juke joint, the place where they drink, dance and gamble the night away, is remarkable. Here, he was able to summon the ancestors of past and future generations through his music. This scene was powerful, both visually and emotionally.
Sammie has a unique gift — the ability to create music so powerful, it can conjure spirits from the past and the future. This allowed Coogler to work his magic, capturing this through one continuous take of different ancestors and dances that connect them. Caton’s strong vocals add tremendously to the atmosphere of the scene.
This is what attracts Remmick, the main vampire villain, towards the juke joint. Unfortunate, but I get it.
This cast of “Sinners” does a great job with a fresh take on vampires. Hailee Steinfeld delivers a powerful performance as Mary, her character exuding tension that can be felt in every scene. Her dialogue and interactions with other characters are brilliant.
Wumni Mosaku is another standout as Annie, whose spiritual knowledge gives the group a chance to survive. Her scenes with Jordan really bring out some of the film’s most heartfelt moments, no matter how heartbreaking it is.
Delroy Lindo as Delta Slim; and Omar Benson Miller as Cornbread, both provide versatile performances with the characters changing tremendously from the first act to the third act. They also provided timely comedic relief to ease tension, doing it effectively to the point where it doesn’t undercut the film’s more serious tone.
Miles Caton, flourishing in his first movie role, absolutely kills it as Sammie. He brought to the table his wide range in emotion and easily held his own in such a veteran cast. His chemistry is felt throughout the movie with his interactions with everyone in the group.
Jack O’Connell’s portrayal of Remmick, was a refreshing take to me because you understand where he is coming from but, of course his actions are to the extreme. He plays Remmick with a calm, chaotic demeanor that never goes over-the-top, even with his gifts.
Of course, the star of the film for me was Michael B. Jordan. I was very impressed with his performance, as he plays not one — but two leads. He was faced with an insane acting challenge of playing Smoke and Stack, the Smokestack Twins.
Smoke and Stack both have different dynamics within the movie and seeing Jordan pull it off had me glued to the screen. Smoke is the calm, calculated protector of the group. His brother Stack, is the more impulsive brother but loyal nonetheless. Seeing Jordan play both characters reminded me of NFL lottery pick Travis Hunter, with his ability to be on both sides.
What impressed me the most was just how natural the dialogue between the twins felt. The chemistry that Jordan has with himself is just astonishing. When watching the two twins fight with each other, it reminded me of Creed boxing himself in the mirror.
Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan have done it again, with “Sinners” cracking the number two spot for my favorite film from the duo. This film does so much, but does it at a high level. It has great action sequences, not only because of the action, but also because of the cinematography. As far as horror movies go, emotion is not always the aim for the director. “Sinners” achieved great emotionality, due to the career-defining performances of many actors in the cast.
It also provides a fresh take on vampires in Hollywood. The movie is through a uniquely Black American lens, which Coogler does a great job with. The music served as a uniquely powerful plot device as well. The use of Blues wasn’t just a backdrop for the juke, it acted as a spiritual portal where Sammie’s ancestors were invited to join in on the music.
Coogler and Jordan (yet again) leave their mark on another genre, this time on the neck instead of a knockout punch.
