Jedidiah: “You keep dancing with the Devil. . . one day, he’s gonna follow you home.”
It is not too often that a mid or post-credit sequence leaves much of an impact as things come to a close. Usually meant to add a few final jokes to a comedy (think Airplance! or Old School), show some silly bloopers, or tease for a future film (Marvel has thrived thanks to these hints pointing towards coming storylines and movies), a rare example of something having a true impact on a narrative is Ryan Coogler’s period horror film Sinners (2025).
A most dynamic feature melding many intriguing elements, the first thing that will be noticed is the time and setting – Clarksdale, Mississippi during the Great Depression (specifically 1932). Following twin brothers ‘Smoke’ and ‘Stack’ Moore (both played by Michael B. Jordan), and to a slightly lesser extent their cousin Sammie (Miles Caton – who learned to play guitar for the role), the brothers (the former almost always in blue, the latter in red) both made their money in sketchy fashion in Chicago before coming home. Creating two very different characters, Jordan makes Smoke the more serious business savvy brother, while Stack is slick, fiery, and a bit over the top.
Opening a juke joint by purchasing an old sawmill from rather slimy Hogwood (Dave Maldonado), they’re hoping it will be like those hip and happening haunts seen in the big city. Gathering the who’s who of the region to help attract the numbers, they recruit their aforementioned cousin Sammie – who has become a magical guitar player and singer, despite the vehement protests of his conservative preacher father Jedidiah (Saul Williams), famed Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo) – who can really tickle those ivories and play the mouth organ, couple Bo and Grace Chow (Yao and Li Jun Li) to design their advertising sign and help with the bartending, big boy Cornbread (Omar Benson Miller) as a bouncer, while Smoke’s Hoodoo wife Annie (Wunmi Mosaku) will take care of the food.
Most definitely a heartfelt love letter to the blues (in some ways harkening back to the infamous Robert Johnson story where he sells his soul to the devil at a crossroads in Mississippi), the new blues joint is hopping (with all of the musical scenes being utterly impressive – one of which revolves around the concept of music having the ability to conjure up spirits from tunes of the past while also echoing into the sounds of the future). . . the buzz attracting talented Pearline (Jayme Lawson) to sing, while perhaps complicating things as well, as Stack’s former gal Mary (Hailee Steinfeld) shows up as well.
But, of course, all those good things become much more complicated when the music also draws in Remmick (Jack O’Connell), with his two compatriots Bert (Peter Dreimanis – one of the lead singers of the Canadian band July Talk) and Joan (Lola Kirke). . . who just so happen to be vampires as well. A bit like a reverse From Dusk Till Dawn, instead of being stranded inside, the attendees must ward them off by not allowing the creatures of the night in. Will they be quick enough on the take to realize all is not right with these hospitable white people? If so, does it truly matter when dealing with such evil as this?
Giving the vampires more of a hive mentality, their power, outside of some rather typical added strength and blood-sucking ventures, has them absorbing their victims memories and skills upon turning them. . . which makes someone like Sammie a prime candidate. Infused with many cultural touches of the time, the above mentioned Hoodoo, and even the KKK will come into play. Another nice touch comes from the whole narrative taking place over one complete day – adding an intense structure to the horror elements.
Fusing period drama, vampiric supernatural horror, thrilling action, and even part musical, Sinners makes for a bloody good time. Perhaps most impressive, blues legend Buddy Guy appears for a short time in a role that adds both gravitas and heart to this tribute to the blues (other music legends like Bobby Rush, Cedric Burnside, and even Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich helped behind the scenes, among others). And, while we’re on the topic of music, kudos to Ludwig Göransson, who gives us a score that transcends time and often provides us intriguing diegetic music that both we and the characters are enjoying at the same time. So, make sure to be the guy or gal to see this unique motion picture – and see this ‘smokestack lightnin’.