"Sinners" - I'm seeing double here, 4 Michael B. Jordans?

Josh
May 5, 2025
4 min read

Updated: May 17, 2025

Ryan Coogler (2025)

A devil at the crossroads

The last time Ryan Coogler had entered my brain was when I saw the now three-time Academy Award-winning Black Panther (2018). A movie that I think about less than I think about doing my taxes. Although when I think of Michael B. Jordan, I think of Cougler's earlier hit, Creed (2015). I think about Creed quite frequently, like tax evasion. So seeing another collab between the two that doesn't involve fighting rhinos was pretty exciting. And even more was going into this movie blind as a bat. Every trailer that came into view, I would either skip or turn away from, and I would say that is one of the best things you can do for this experience. From the small teaser ads, I had no idea if it was an action movie, supernatural, drama, thriller, horror or a modern retelling of a Shakespearian classic. I had no idea, nor did I know about the twinning Jordans, I'm seeing double here, four Michael B Jordan's? But a common theme from Coolger's previous films still flows within Sinners, the importance of your heritage, legacy and your influence on your community and family.

Michael B. Jordan in Sinners courtesy of Warner Bros. — *Michael B. Jordan* in *Sinners* courtesy of Warner Bros.

Spoilers, I guess, because I think you should go in blind. I would highly recommend this.

A wonderful debut performance by Miles Caton plays the young guitarist and preacher's son, Sammie, who gets recruited to play the blues at an all black nightclub against his Fathers wishes. And recruiting for this up-and-coming club are war veteran twins, Smoke and Stack, Michael B. Jordan, purchasing the venue from a Klan member with the promise of peace. With a somewhat notorious past within their small town, yet upholding respect amongst the residents, they begin to recruit everyone deemed necessary to run a club. A chef (doubling as a supernatural expert), experienced retailers and a drunk blues musician (Wunmi Mosaku, Li Jun Li, Yao and Delroy Lindo, respectively).

What Coogler develops effortlessly is the natural bond between all our cast of characters. Small dynamics from the past are teased enough that when the characters begin to insult each other, it feels like you're taking part in an inside joke. It's when we get to the club does the action kicks in. Also done with precision and care are various one-take tracking shots through towns, weaving in and out of businesses and between set pieces. With the more complex oners appearing in the club, as the camera flows from room to room, watching our crew interact with patrons and tearing up the dance floor. Then our trio (Jack O'Connell, Peter Dreimanis, Lola Kirke) of wonders appear. What's respectable is that it's not set up as a mystery on what these people are; in a previous scene, it's shown as clear as day that these are monsters of the night.

With all the creativity behind the visuals and themes, the vampire lore is played out like any other piece of vampire pop culture. Garlic, stakes, crucifixes, sunlight, needing invitations and blessed water all make an appearance. I would've hoped for some form of variation around the vampire lore, especially with all the creativity around everything else. Even if we went as far as making the look of the damned more visually different from other adaptations of them. Coolgar incorporates music into the identity of the vampires, which is the highlight of the movie.

Cast photo courtesy of Warner Bros. — *Sinners* courtesy of Warner Bros.

As well as showing their hand to the audience that our villains are vampires, it shows hints of our trio being involved with the Klan. Now, it might not be my place to say, but the fact that the trio moved in on a juke joint didn't feel like an attack on the black community; it was more incidental, they were following the music. But aye, if our monster's intentions weren't completely racially charged, we do get to see a group of racists get flattened. Although appearing right towards the end of the film, it really felt out of place. I'm not sure if Coogler wanted more action in the movie, as it's almost structured like From Dusk Til Dawn (1996), where the first half of the movie is all character and then it flicks a switch into a gory slasher flick. So ending in a second blood bath, although fun, didn't too much to expand on the story, it all felt over.

Thematically, I loved the concept of music as a generational spell that is felt from the past and future. In an amazing oner, we centre around Sammie playing time-appropriate blues as the camera flows between the crowds, we see various forms of African American music and dance happening in unison. Also bleeding into cross-racial influence and appreciation as our Chinese couple embrace the music with their background of traditional Chinese dance.

And generational influences don't stop at the hero's, our vampiric clan brings traditional Irish music to their clan. Involving everyone in their traditional rhythms and choreography, despite their race or background. Not calling Irish folk music soulless, but Coogler shows the importance of music, which can be extended to Art in general, and bringing together people over a single shared experience. Not to mention, the combination of pairing soulless vampires with the blues, some of the most soulful music out there, was a clever way to thematically contrast good and evil.

What would be an obvious and could be argued, cheesy allegory, using vampires as a way to show racism during the era. But it's not so much that they represent segregation or hate, but in a twisted way, they remove all of that by becoming a clan of empty shells. All on an equal playing field of never-ending bliss as long as it's after sundown. And whether it was fully intentional or not, the Irish leader of the gang is of a discriminated descent, specifically from both the English and American. And I debate whether it's fully intentional, as he does reference the fact that his catholic upbringing was demolished by the Christians.