There have been many great filmmaking duos throughout the years, from Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro to Quentin Tarantino and Samuel L. Jackson. With the release of their fifth collaboration, “Sinners,” Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan prove why they deserve to be mentioned with the greats.
“Sinners” is a welcome return to form for both Coogler and Jordan, whose shared success has grown adjacent to one another by working together on box office hits “Creed” and “Black Panther.”
The duo is seen at their creative peak in “Sinners,” as they depart from a familiar action/drama genre to deliver a vampire flick set in Mississippi in the 1920s.
“Coming off of two comic book movies and a boxing movie, I wanted to make something original,” Coogler said on the “All The Smoke” podcast, “something from my soul and about what I’m really interested in.”
Smoke and Stack, both played by Jordan, are a set of twins who served in World War I and have since turned to a life of crime in Chicago.
Jordan showcases his refined acting chops and brings different elements to each twin. His line delivery and mannerisms distinguish Smoke and Stack and give them their own personalities.
After gaining business savvy and plenty of funds, the brothers return home to Delta, Mississippi to open a juke joint, with the hope that an influx of money will finally grant them financial freedom.
The first act of the film focuses heavily on getting to know the main characters of the story. It’s a slow-burn compared to the second and third acts, but the outstanding performances from the main cast is more than enough to keep the viewers’ attention.
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In the moments leading up to the grand opening of the twins’ new club, expository scenes show Smoke and Stack running all the necessary errands for a night of music and dance, while simultaneously reconnecting with those who knew them before they became infamous.
Characters like Sammy (Miles Caton), Mary (Hailee Steinfeld) and Annie (Wunmi Mosaku) are introduced in the first act as familiar faces to the twins and become more fleshed out as the film progresses. Each actor’s performance gave their character depth and left nothing to be desired.
The southern backdrop of this film serves as the thematic heartbeat of the story, as Coogler utilizes Blues music as callbacks to the classic cuts that dominated that point in time.
Coogler tested unfamiliar waters by incorporating several musical sequences into the scenes at the nightclub.
These performances act as moments of relief for the viewer in what is an overall tense experience. Similarly, they act as slices of freedom to the characters who seek music as an escape from the everyday work cycle.
Performances by Caton, Jayme Lawson and Delroy Lindo complement what is already an imaginative score by Ludwig Göransson.
“Sinners” offers just as much visually as it does musically. Shot on IMAX film, Coogler called upon the talents of cinematographer Autumn Durald Arakpaw, making her the first female director of photography to use such technology.
The aspect ratio changes from scene to scene, going full screen to emphasize the importance and scale of action scenes and switching back to widescreen to enhance intimacy between characters.
Coogler’s artistic choices made for a third act that will go down in horror movie history, as Smoke and company battle for survival against a hoard of vampires in a sequence heavily influenced by films like “Night of the Living Dead” and “From Dusk Till Dawn.”
“Sinners” is Coogler and Jordan’s most experimental project together thus far, making the duo’s next endeavor unpredictable but highly anticipated.
Coogler put a spin on horror in a way only he could accomplish, making this film one of the more unique releases of the decade.
After a three-year directorial hiatus, Coogler’s return to the big screen was worth the wait.
Rating: 9.5/10
