By Mark Fields
Coogler-Jordan Collaboration Yields Another Thinking Genre Film
Writer-director Ryan Coogler has developed a well-earned reputation for highly polished genre movies that also have something to say that transcends the genre. Think Creed and boxing movies, or Black Panther and superheroes flicks. Coogler and his frequent collaborator, actor Michael B. Jordan, have repeated the same feat in the horror genre with the new release, Sinners. The movie is not just a satisfying vampire-themed thrill ride; it’s also a trenchant commentary on a variety of societal issues. Sinners also showcases the charismatic power of Jordan who plays not one but two roles in the movie, twin brother gangsters Elijah and Elias Moore, better known as Smoke and Stack.
Set in the Mississippi Delta in the Jim Crow 1930s, the movie focuses, initially, on the Moore Brothers’ return to their hometown after a life as successful, albeit thieving, Chicago gangsters. Smoke and Stack hope to parlay their criminal acumen into greater success running a juke joint for the local black folk, a mix of sharecroppers and merchants excluded from other entertainment venues. They recruit a gifted young blues singer and guitarist, Preacher Boy (Miles Caton) to provide the music.
The movie’s opening narration ominously suggests that some musicians’ talent is so powerful that it “pierces the veil of time and space” and can also invite evil. So we know what is going to happen. The juke joint is visited on opening night by a group of itinerant musicians with sinister motives. And then, all hell breaks loose.
But on top of this promising if not completely original story, Coogler piles observations about pervasive racism, the kindred interests of the disenfranchised, and the dangerously spiritual power of music…a heady set of themes for a vampiric horror film. But Coogler is such a deft storyteller, and his cast talented and enthusiastic partners that the whole film fairly hums with energy, creativity, and ideas. I’m not sure that all those ideas resonate coherently, but they nevertheless enthrall the viewer.
In addition to Jordan in his dual roles, the cast brims with vivid performances, especially Wunmi Mosaku, Hailee Steinfeld, Delroy Lindo, and newcomer Miles Caton. Another vital member of the company, however, is the powerful musical score, filled with spirituals, blues, and Irish folksongs – some traditional and some original. (Actual blues guitar legend Buddy Guy even makes an appearance in the film.) Coogler clearly understands the power of music to carry the emotional heft of a film.
The director also understands how to visually underlined his narrative themes. Halfway through the movie, there are a bravura sequence where Coogler’s camera wanders through the juke joint while Preacher Boy is singing. Echoing some of the intro narration, the partyers mingle with a parade of Black musicians through history – past and future – encapsulating Coogler’s premise about music piercing the veil. It is a stunning scene.
I’ll confess that I approached this film with mixed feelings: I am a great fan of Coogler’s past work with Jordan, all the way back to Fruitvale Station, However, I am NOT a fan of horror films, especially those with abundant jump scares. But Sinners is far more than the run-of-the-mill schlocky monster movie. It is executed with such finesse and style, and has so much on its mind, that it transcends the genre. Coogler does it again!
Official Trailer
