‘Sinners’ Review: A Southern Gothic Horror With Bold Ambitions and Uneven Execution

‘sinners’ Review: A Southern Gothic Horror With Bold Ambitions And Uneven Execution

LOS ANGELES — Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, released nationwide on April 12, is a moody, genre-bending horror film that marks a stylistic departure for the filmmaker known for Black Panther and Creed. Anchored by a dual performance from Michael B. Jordan and infused with themes of cultural appropriation and identity, the film has drawn both praise and criticism for its ambition.

Set in rural Mississippi during the 1930s, Sinners follows twin brothers Smoke and Stack, both portrayed by Jordan, as they return home to open a juke joint after the Depression. The story turns supernatural when a blues guitarist relative, Sammie (played by Joshua Caleb Johnson), is lured by a group of vampires who feed off the spirit of Black music. Their leader, Remmick, played by Jack O’Connell, becomes a symbol of exploitation as the film explores the commodification of Black artistry.

Coogler, who co-wrote the screenplay with Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian, leans heavily into Southern Gothic aesthetics. The film’s atmosphere is dense, with muted colors and candlelit interiors captured by cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw. Ludwig Göransson’s jazz-infused score heightens the film’s eerie tone, weaving seamlessly with live musical performances inside the juke joint.

While critics have noted the film’s originality, some have expressed reservations about its pacing and narrative focus.

“Sinners is overflowing with ideas, but not all of them connect,” wrote Justin Chang in the Los Angeles Times. “Still, there’s an undeniable charge in watching a filmmaker swing this hard.”

The film had its world premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March, where early reactions ranged from admiring to divided. Audience members praised its performances and thematic ambition, while others questioned its cohesion.

In his review for Variety, chief film critic Peter Debruge wrote, “Coogler wants to make a point about the exploitation of Black culture, but the metaphor begins to fray as the film loses narrative clarity in its final act.”

Jordan’s performance as both brothers — one grounded and skeptical, the other volatile and haunted — has been singled out as the film’s emotional anchor. His work in Sinners is among his most complex to date, requiring careful modulation between two contrasting characters.

The film opened in over 2,000 theaters and earned $9.7 million in its opening weekend, according to box office tracking firm Comscore. It currently holds a 71% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Sinners is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.