Sinners Review: Temptation at Its Finest

Ryan Coogler is one of the rare exceptions of directors who has repeatedly impressed me with the quality of their films. After Sinners, he’s up there with modern greats such as Denis Villeneuve and Christopher Nolan. Coogler hasn’t directed as many films as they have, but he has consistently delivered on quality. 

He once again teams up with Michael B Jordan here, this time, to deliver a horror film set in the 1930s. Although it’s only April, I’d be shocked if this film didn’t make my list for the top 5 films of the year. I couldn’t help but be utterly engrossed in the world, the dialogue, the characters, and the magical music played throughout this film. Sinners is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece from a one-of-a-kind director. This Sinners review is spoiler-free.

Sinners is in theaters now.

See also: 5 Biggest Horror Movies Releasing In April 2025

Story – Veil Between Life and Death

The second trailer for this film gives away a tad too much, in my opinion. If possible, I would steer clear of all trailers and go in as blind as possible. That being said, it ultimately doesn’t hinder Sinners. The film feels more vast than any one trailer can cover. Sinners follows twins Smoke and Stack, both played by Michael B Jordan. After making a large sum of cash, the twins leave Chicago and return to their hometown in Minnesota. They decide to open a juke joint there, recruiting old acquaintances along the way, but soon discover something sinister is awaiting them.

Okay. I won’t give anything else away about the story. Sinners is vastly layered, and there is so much to discover and think about. It’s a story bolstered by various components, such as the characters and setting. I loved this story. Everything I could hope for to happen in Sinners, does. From beginning to end, Sinners plays beautifully. I can only think of one aspect that didn’t make a full circle by the time the story wrapped up, but I don’t think that was ever the point. There are many themes here, each meticulously fleshing out the world. But when it comes to the story, I found that there was a lot of it in the characters.

Michael B Jordan is a blast to watch

Characters and Performances – Fully Stacked

Smoke and Stack were gone for years up in Chicago, and upon returning, we get to see a large portion of their life through their interactions with other characters. We understand how they’re viewed and their connection with one another. They’re rather infamous back in their hometown, their names going so far as to scare folks that hear it. The twins catch up with past acquaintances, and you understand their difficulties with one another. It’s an incredibly effective way of having the audience catch up with these characters in a way that feels natural. 

Unsurprisingly, the twins weren’t portrayed excessively different from one another. They were just different enough that one could tell one from the other. I usually told them apart by their maturity. I loved the twins, but I also loved many of the characters around them, including Sammie (Miles Caton), Delta (Delroy Lindo), and Annie (Wunmi Mosako). Sinner’s cast is extensive, and I enjoyed every character. It felt like they were a family, and it felt warm watching them form to join the twins. 

The most notable performances came from Michael B Jordan and Miles Caton. Miles Canton is a singer, and this is his first film, which is crazy. He’s a phenomenal singer, but I’m surprised by how natural and experienced he seemed throughout this film. And what can I say about Michael B Jordan that isn’t already known? The man is a legend, and he loses himself in his roles as the twins. They aren’t vastly different from one another, but he portrays them with such truthfulness. He’s at the top of his game here. 

I enjoyed each of these characters

Pacing and Editing – Preparing for a Long Night

Now, Sinners is a horror film, but it’s not only that. It’s a drama full of people who want to be free, even if it’s for one night. For those hoping this is a typical horror film, they might be disappointed. Sinners is 2h 17m long and a slow burn in that regard. The horror doesn’t happen until later in the film. That might turn some away, but for me, there wasn’t a second of this film that I wasn’t fully engaged. Of course, that is primarily due to the characters and how we, as the audience, are constantly introduced to characters they know. 

When the horror does come around, it’s effectively showcased through skillful editing. There is one scene in particular that I remember very vividly. It’s a scene of someone turning away from a group of people. The camera focuses on the person walking away, blurring out those in the background, but the camera lingers long enough for you to quickly see something frightening occur. And then it cut. It’s not something that will keep me up at night. It isn’t a jumpscare, but it was an incredibly effective way of showing the horror of what these characters are up against. 

Prepare for chaos

Cinematography and Sound – Minnesota Blues

Outside of the horror scenes, editing is used hand in hand with the music. I try not to overhype films as I think that sometimes messes with people’s expectations, but it’s exceptionally difficult with Sinners. The music here is some of the best I have ever heard in a film. It isn’t just the music that is played when characters are singing, but also in the scenes when characters are talking to one another.

I think, out of everything, music is what won me over the most. My favorite scene is when Canton’s character gets in front of a crowd and starts to sing. His voice, the lyrics, and the triumphant sounds that grew the longer the music went on, transported me. It has been a while since I felt the way that scene made me feel. Those characters were free. It’s not the only long music scene either. There is another that is also fantastic, but I can’t talk about that one without spoilers.

My favorite scene of the film

Sinners is an absolutely gorgeous film to look at. Whether the twins are swinging by town or at the juke joint, I was amazed at how well this movie looks. The film has a yellowish filter throughout that helps transport us back to this timeline. Lighting in general is used effectively here. The second dance scene I mentioned earlier uses the moonlight as its light source while the surrounding is bathed in darkness. It gave more importance to those closest to the center, which I thought was clever.

Are you planning to see this movie? Have you already seen it? Do you agree with this review for Sinners? Let us know!