Music has always been with us. It is one of the oldest art forms that affects us just as it affected ancient humans. It allows us to be entertained, to have fun, to enjoy life and the people around us. However, like all good things, it can deceive us. It can lead us down the path of evil and tempt us to sin.
Genre-bending work of art
I didn’t expect to start this review this way. But yes, Ryan Coogler’s latest film, Sinners, is a story about music and its history and the coexistence of good and evil. To portray it Coogler creates a Neo-Western Gangster Horror with Musical elements. A combination that had no right to work, but in this case works amazingly. In addition, the 5th collaboration between Coogler and Michael B. Jordan elevates each of these genres and adds to their legacy.
Where does this combination of genres come from? The film takes place in the early XXth century. It tells the story of twin gangsters who return to their native Mississippi. They buy an abandoned sawmill in order to establish a music venue there for the black community. At the same time, they are forced to confront their past and renew old relationships. Unexpectedly, on opening night, a new, uninvited guest arrives in their neighborhood: a Vampire named Remmick.
Sunset to the rhythm of the blues
Breaking the film down into its components, I’ll start, perhaps unusually, with the music. This is because it completely deserves it. I happened to hear opinions, about various films, that music is one of the main characters. However, in no production was this as true for me as in this one. This feature would simply not exist without music. It is it that leads the plot here, gives it rhythm, influences and intensifies our emotions, it is under its dictation that the montage is often composed. We follow our heroes led through endless lowlands and towns that remember the wild west. In the background we hear an unique and astonishing soundtrack composed by Ludwig Göransson. It is inspired by classic blues but adds an aggressive, contemporary guitar finish.
Speaking of the blues. The film is set in Clarksdale, Mississippi – a city that is considered the birthplace of this genre. How this film depicts the local landscape is breathtaking. Every frame, every shot is a work of art that, with their composition, rivals greatest paintings . This beauty is revealed both in the sunset-lit wide frames and in the close-ups. Thanks to the incredible play of light, the characters’ silhouettes and faces emerge from the darkness like in the works of Rembrandt. It’s a comparison I’ve used many times myself, but no film has yet done it as amazingly as this one. What is also worth mentioning is the color palette of this production. Toned shades are constantly brought out by, mentioned above, strong orange light. It made me think of an obvious sunset or a burned-out candle whose smoldering flame is as tiny as the remaining hope of our heroes. This film doesn’t need explosions and huge action scenes to achieve the effect of a cinematic spectacle. Autumn Durald, who is responsible for the cinematography, achieves this effect through memorable shots such as silhouettes of the protagonists looking at the last rays of the sun.
A world of flesh… and blood
The entire cast gives amazing performances. The supporting actors make the presented world seem authentic, vivid and full of layered characters. Jack O’Connel, who plays Remmick, creates an antagonist we will remember for years. Terrifying but at the same time extremely tempting and sympathetic. When needed he captivates us with his charm. However, a moment later he is able to freeze the blood in our veins. The result is a relentless thrill that accompanies in every moment we see him on the screen. Without a doubt, this is the type of character we love to hate. But if we’re talking about actors, the biggest star here is Michael B. Jordan, and I didn’t assign this title to him just because of the actor’s popularity. The brothers he played are characters that I can’t find enough words to praise. Smoke and Stack are figures full of confilct. They cannot be classified as clearly good or bad. They are very human, and because of this it is impossible not to love them from the first seconds when they appear on screen. You can easily find many films in which an actor plays two diametrically opposed characters at the same time. Michael B. Jordan, however, created something different here, in my opinion more authentic. The twins grew up and operated in the criminal world together throughout their whole lives. Because of this, they are very similar, you can see in them their shared upbringing. At the same time, through minimal differences, gestures and small details we fall into the illusion of watching two completely separate people. Jordan remarkably captured the essence of Smoke’s stoicism and Stack’s verve. In doing so, he has brought to life creations that will go down in cinema history and, in my opinion, could be crucial in the awards season.
The wonderful characters are also, of course, owed to Ryan Coogler’s screenplay. It is written masterfully. I am unable to point out the slightest flaw, plot hole or unnecessary second of film time. You won’t find overexposition or excessive explanation in this film. The artist presents the story naturally, trusting in the intelligence of the viewer and revealing everything that needs to be revealed through little details and context. With this his direction harmonizes brilliantly. Coogler narrates the picture with extraordinary virtuosity. He shows the story with elegance and verve. Even for a moment he does not lose pace and keeps the tension at an constantly increasing level. This is his first horror film, therefore it is all the more impressive how skillfully, without going into cliché, he is able to keep us in full immersion at the edge of the seat.
Sins of music
There is a scene in this film when the son of Preacher begins to sing and play to kick off the dance night. The camera starts wandering around the Hall and on it… the primal Africans, blues musicians from the 1960s and contemporary hip-hop artists begins to appear. When you read this it probably seems disconnected from the film, but it is quite the opposite. This motif fits perfectly into the core of the plot, in which musicians, according to ancient beliefs, can unite our generations with their art. The film portrays them as spiritual healers who can communicate on a surface beyond time and the physical world. This ability, however, while uncontrolled, can summon dark forces. This is how vampires make their way to the party.
And they are the key links to the theme that is the movie’s title. The main antagonist is a vampire in a form that returns these creatures to their religious roots. They are allergic to garlic, cannot enter the household uninvited, and can only be killed by sunlight and a wooden stake stabbed into their hearts. In addition, these motifs combine well with the theme of folk beliefs that is constantly in the background. At no point, however, we feel that our threat can be in any way easily defeated. Coogler cleverly uses these motifs in his screenplay. They are not here to be an easy way for the protagonists to win. These rules are the thin line that separates characters from their doom. Remmick is a persona that resembles Lucifer more than Dracula. He is extremely charismatic and constantly portrays himself as a friend. He cleverly takes advantage of the heroes’ inattention, skillfully knows how to outsmart them, tempt them and persuade them to make decisions favorable to him. This also perfectly correlates with the, important in the movie themes, difference between the community and the sect symbolized here by the group of vampires rising around Remmick.
In addition to all this, the film touches on, important in every Coogler’s work, subject of racism and the struggle for the rights of black people. The film does not run away from difficult and morally questionable topics. The director, as he has already accustomed us to, brilliantly tells a story that does not give instant answers but makes us reflect. We won’t find simple allegories and metaphors here. This artwork reveals the multi-layered nature of the problem and shows how looking for easy, convenient solutions can lead us down a path where instead of fighting evil we become it ourselves.
Ryan Coogler’s Magnum Opus
The production will hit theaters on April 18, this Friday. It’s a monumental masterpiece that pushes the boundaries of what can be shown in cinema, and one that we will remember for years to come. The director combines radically different genres in a way that elevates them and adds to each. This film draws equally from arthouse cinema and grindhouse cinema and offers something new, unique, previously unseen. As a result, Ryan Coogler creates his magnum opus. I, on the other hand, without hesitation, can call Sinners one of the best films in the history of cinema.
Go and see it on the biggest screen possible!
It’s worth it!
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