Dancing with the Devil: Sinners (2025) Review

There's a man down in the Delta sitting in a bar with a guitar on his lap, strumming his pain, fear and joy for the world to hear. He's lived his life in the cotton fields, only having a day or two to feel free. He's not privileged enough to have a life that is his own because all it takes is for a white man to twist a tale before his life, his craft, his essence, could be taken away, no matter how much he goes to church or appear to be one of the good ones. This is the very real horror that Ryan Coogler uses as a catalyst in his latest film, Sinners.

Sinners begins with a reminder that stories of things that go bump in the night started many years ago. These stories are rooted in folklore from Indigenous, African, and other cultural tales that have been passed down over generations. Coogler introduces us to the key characters, taking his time to build a world set in 1930s Mississippi. Smoke and Stack, twin brothers portrayed by Michael B. Jordan, have just retuned to Clarksdale from Chicago, ready to make a name for themselves selling Irish beer and Italian wine at their new juke joint. What follows is a 24-hour play by play of the brothers and their blood cousin, Sammie, preparing for the grand opening. Sammie (Miles Caton), is the son of a preacher and he is at war with doing what he's been raised to believe and following his dreams of singing and playing the guitar. The twins spend time crafting a ragtag team of players that help prepare for a night of sinning in the Mississippi Delta.

Ludwig Göransson's score is infused in the storytelling from the opening credits until the final credits roll. It's a breathing force that drives the narrative we witness being played out on screen. We are immediately taken back in time, immersed in the Southern, gothic atmosphere that is felt in every frame of the film. Göransson’s composition utilizes traditional instrumentation with haunting undertones that reflect Coogler's excellent filmmaking at work. Everything feels timely and deliberate, enhancing the tension and emotional weight of the narrative. The score not only complements the visuals but makes them feel alive. Coupled with Autumn Durald Arkapaw's dynamic cinematography, Sinners is art in the most literal sense. 

Coogler's characters are the key to unlocking the magic of what Sinners is. Jack O'Connell's portrayal of Remmick is a not so subtle reminder that Coogler knows how to give us good villains. Killmonger (Black Panther), Damian (Creed III), and now Remmick, who promises a faux freedom that can be achieved only if they join him in his darkness. We meet Remmick as he's on the run from a Choctaw tribe, beaten, bloody and sizzling skin from the sun as it goes down over the horizon. He finds a house of a Klansman and his wife who he recruits through force before he is lured by Sammie's music. He and his new companions stand outside the juke joint as the musical conjurer calls on the past and future- a talent that Remmick wants all to himself. Coogler's message is clear, protect what is ours by any means necessary. 

While Michael B. Jordan is just one person, he portrays two characters, Smoke and Stack, with ease. Coogler's use of the techno dolly, which was developed for this film, allowed him to capture minute details unlike anything done on screen before. The first half of the film is crafted with care, letting us peel back the layers of the main characters so much so that by the climax, we can tell these two characters apart, even though they are portrayed by the same person. Coogler also goes against the grain by not only giving Smoke a dark skinned love interest in Annie, but she is curvy, Creole and her Hoodoo roots are a strength and not a trope. Wunmi Mosaku is exquisite and her talent ravages us, leaving no crumbs. This cast is fierce. Hailee Stanfield, Li Jun Li, Delroy Lindo, Yao, Omar Benson Miller, and Jayme Lawson, are dynamic in their own right. But this film belongs to Miles Caton. 

Sinners takes Black history and makes it a tangible experience—visceral, beautiful, frightening, and personal. It weaves folklore and music with inspiring performances and striking visuals. To add, it's also quite spicy. There is no denying that this will indeed be one of the best horror films-- no, films, of 2025.