Sinners
Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler in 2025, was an unforgettable cinematic experience. It features Michael B. Jordan, playing two roles of twins named Smoke and Stack, who return back to their hometown in Mississippi for a fresh start, hoping to open a new juke joint. Using the money they took from their past employers, they unknowingly buy abandoned property from KKK members in order to have a location for the bar. That day, they gather friends, food, beer, and musicians in order to make the night perfect. Their little cousin, Sammie, joins them despite his father, the town preacher, warning him that blues music is sinful. They also gather other performers like Delta Slim and Pearline, suppliers Bo and Grace Chow, and Annie, Smokes ex-wife, to help cook. Mary, a white woman in love with Stack, uninvitedly visits the joint.
They open the bar that night, and all seems to be swell. However, unknowingly as Sammie is performing a blues song, he summons past performers from both the past and the future. This attracts Remmick, an Irish vampire who desires the power Sammie has to summon his past Irish ancestors.
Remmick and his vampires bribe the twins with money and music to enter the joint, as they aren’t allowed in unless permitted. They send Remmick and his group off, but realize they need the money after counting their funds for the joint. Stack sends Mary out to converse with them, but she is bitten. She reenters the joint, and bites Stack. They both turn into vampires and run off to join Remmicks group of vampires.
Remmick and his group eventually are able to lure out the people in the joint, all except Smoke, Stack, Sammie, Delta Slim, Pearline, Annie, and Grace. However, the only one Remmick really wants is Sammie. Grace, filled with rage due to Remmick turning her husband into a vampire lets them in, causing a huge fight to break out, resulting in the deaths of everyone except Smoke and Sammie. They are able to kill Remmick with a metal piece of Sammie’s guitar, but are left scarred for life.
Get nickdr@ke’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
Years later, Sammie grew up to be a successful blues musician. After a show, he is visited by Stack and Mary, still alive and ageless after that horrifying night. Stack reveals that he promised Smoke to leave Sammie untouched, but offers to turn Sammie due to his impending death. Sammie declines, showing Stack that he is content with the life he has lived, and still remembers that night as the best night of his life.
There were many factors to this film that made in so extrodinary. The music, produced by Ludwig Goransson, was to say the least incredible. The experience wouldn’t have been so impactful if it weren’t for the score. Aditionally, Miles Caton who played Sammie, had an memerable performance. His voice was hypnotizing, which fit perfectly into the plot. It was clear that Ryan Coogler chose who he wanted in his movie quite carefully.
Michael B. Jordan portrayed both characters perfectly. There are times in cinema where it is clear how talented an actor or actress is, and this was a perfect example. The challenge of playing two people, who are basically opposites, seems like an impossible task. However, Jordan did it perfectly and truly made it seem like there were two actors playing two different characters.
This movie also urged me to explore different themes and genres that I hadn’t had much experience with, such as spirituality, black culture and performance, and faith. This film is truly a work of art and absolutely deserved all of the awards and recognition it received.
I remember being uninterested in the trailers of this movie. However, I was convinced by my friends to go see it with them in theaters. I cannot stress how much of an incredible cinematic experience it was. I left the theater that night feeling all sorts of emotions, and saw the movie in theaters 4 more times after that. Watching this film with my friends is truly a core memory for me and I wish I could relive the first time I saw this incredible work of art.
