Running Time: 137 minutes
This feature from Warner Bros. will be screening exclusively at theaters and IMAX on April 17th.
In recent years, writer/director Ryan Coogler has been behind the camera of superhero fare like the Black Panther series, as well as the boxing picture Creed, which have been major box office hits. But his latest project is a somewhat unexpected homage to horror movies. The period chiller Sinners does feel like it borrows liberally from movies like From Dusk Till Dawn, The Thing, Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight and many others. Thankfully, it does offer a couple of new unique elements, and the cast and technical skills on display are so strong that the final product does still manage to entertain.
In the 1930s during the Jim Crow era, twin brothers Smoke (Micheal B. Jordan) and Stack (also Michael B. Jordan) return to their home state in the Deep South after making a name for themselves in the Chicago underworld. The pair decide to open a juke joint and reunite with many old friends and associates in order to start their business. This includes young cousin Sammie Moore (Miles Caton) who is an incredible guitarist. In fact, he’s so skilled that he unknowingly has the ability to open pathways to the afterlife and conjure spirits. After dealing with racism within their community, difficulties in getting things organized, and the reappearance of Stack’s old flame Mary (Hailee Steinfeld), opening night finally arrives. Unfortunately, after a stirring musical performance, a dangerous, supernatural figure named Remmick (Jack O’Connell) causes chaos and bloodshed.
Jordan has dual roles in this picture and handles them brilliantly. Smoke is the serious, rational businessman of the pair, while Stack is the charmer, trying to calm tense situations and subtly win people over. While the first brother consistently dresses in blue and the other in red, they’re so distinctive it isn’t really necessary. When they’re together and speaking to each other for significant sections of the movie, it’s always convincing. In fact, this reviewer never even thought about the technical details involved and completely bought into these scenes, which is a remarkable accomplishment. And all the supporting cast are excellent too, with Delroy Lindo standing out for his humorous reactions and comments during the onslaught at the club.
The movie was shot in part with IMAX cameras and, despite the horrors that are being displayed, it also looks gorgeous. There is a great deal of orange, brown and red hues in the film and these colors really stand out projected on the big screen. When the characters are coming under attack in the dilapidated building, it is tense and excitingly edited together. Another plus are the frequent musical numbers, which are elaborate and feature a great deal of choreography and movement that is beautifully captured.
Admittedly, there are scenes that will remind viewers of other horror pictures. If you’ve watched your share of 1980s and 1990s genre flicks, several bits will come across as familiar. The film does reuse some tropes, and in a few instances the characters make remarkably poor decisions. Another minor issue is the lengthy running time. There are numerous characters and the script spends a great deal of time introducing them all. While it’s noble to give the majority a full history, as a result the main threat doesn’t emerge until the halfway point. In fact, the movie opens with a volatile moment from much later in the story, likely because it takes so long for the central conflict to be established.
It does feel like a bit of material could have been trimmed and the film doesn’t seem to know exactly when to call it a day. Even after the initial credits begin, the story continues for at least five more minutes as characters are reintroduced and come to personal realizations about the night in question. It is interesting, but after two hours of bloody mayhem does feel overly extended.
Still, these are minor critiques and the movie does possess several original and exciting moments. It’s fun to see music take such a big role in the proceedings (including a number that features the antagonists giving a performance). The twin brother relationship is a unique storyline that works well. And setting this genre picture against the backdrop of racism and segregation offers interesting subtext to some of the conflicts being depicted.
While it isn’t perfect, Sinners is an entertaining and effective genre picture that benefits from a great cast and visuals. If you can allow for the fact that it could do with a bit more streamlining, you’ll find that the end product has enough bite to entertain horror enthusiasts.