I am a firm believer in quality over genre. Every genre holds masterpieces—even genres that I usually hate. It takes a lot to get me to a horror movie. In this case, it took tony trailers, box office longevity, a lack of good films at the cinema, the opinions of friends, and an internal sense that this was more a Get Out than a Final Destination.
Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, is definitely a horror film but not really. For the entire first hour, we get only a few portends of supernatural disaster to come. Coogler spends half the movie sketching all the characters who live in this Mississippi Delta town. Well—we really don’t get to know any white people aside from Hailee Steinfeld’s Mary, who identifies as Black. We are mostly anchored in the community of Black sharecroppers, but we also see some Native Americans and a lovely Chinese-American family.
It is 1932, and Michael B. Jordan’s gangster twins, known as Smoke and Stack, are opening a juke joint with sketchy money and motives. When the establishment opens, it is instantly full of Black men and women dancing with abandon and some incredible blues musicians singing with even more.
Then it happens. The Scene. The scene that is all anyone can mention, and rightfully so. See it on a big screen with good sound, because this is an immersive masterpiece of a scene that will be talked about for decades.
And at that, in pretty much the exact middle of the movie, it changes from a period musical to a vampire movie. It really is that sudden, but it doesn’t feel abrupt as much as inevitable. The second half of the film is a fantastic vampire siege flick with fake-looking blood and gory neck chewing.
At the end, the film shifts again, giving Michael B. Jordan his Django moment, and continues through two essential mid-credits scenes (which most of the audience missed).
Let me quickly run through some of the reasons this film was so great. Wunmi Mosaku anchors the movie with a wonderful performance that is lightyears from her lackluster work in Loki. Delroy Lindo: ‘nuff said. Beautiful cinematography with a sepia-leaning palette. Incredible, transcendent music throughout that may be the film’s true main character. Newcomer Miles Caton’s incredible singing. A creative and affecting take on vampires.
It’s simply a darn good movie!
However, with a title like Sinners, the versatile metaphor of the vampire, the (sometimes worrisome) race politics present in the story, and an intriguing prologue that links music, faith, and the supernatural…there’s obviously a lot of ‘meaning’ going on. After scouring the reviews of those I trust, I am still unsure if I fully understand how all that meaning means together. Perhaps, it doesn’t, and the film is fatally flawed thereby. But more likely, I’m a white Christian man in rural Pennsylvania and lack the experience to understand the intricacies of cultural appropriation (my least favorite subject).
Here’s what I do know:
The vampires are all initially white (Irish).
There is what seems to be an earnest attempt to pit the Church against popular music.
The key character is nicknamed Preacher Boy.
He undergoes a bizarre baptism by the head vampire.
The vampires are motivated by a belief in their immortal community being the only place humanity can be truly equal. (Just not, you know, humanity.)
The vampires are nevertheless portrayed as real evil.
The only White characters are either vampires or klansmen.
Clearly, there’s a lot going on in Coogler’s mind. I just need to discuss it with some intelligent peers to tap into all of it. So, go see it! In the era of the new Academy, this is the type of film that could end up on Oscar ballots. (And I think it deserves to.)
I can't help thinking today that the vampires are meant to represent the Christian Church proselytizing (and coopting) the Black population. However, since I don't see that as vampirism, my enjoyment of the film is undimmed. All in all, it seems that Coogler may have a behind-the-times view of the Church (now more a part of Black culture than of White, really). The role of the Church in connecting us across time and space (one catholic and apostolic Church) and providing healing to marginalized communities is attributed vaguely to 'music' here. Again, I can disagree with a silly "message" and enjoy the movie on its other merits.