Whenever there is a new kind of film, fans get excited. But what makes Ryan Coogler’s Sinners so exciting is that he somehow managed to make a vampire story feel new and fresh.
Coogler managed to bring music, Hoodoo, race relations, and a fear of what lurks in the dark all thrown into one film. But the allure of his vampires lie in their ability to twist reality and make you question what you really believe. Vampires have always been captivating, it is why we’ve often turned to the same stories over and over again.
Whether it is the remakes of Salem’s Lot or retellings of Dracula’s story, we love a good tale of those who cannot see the sun. Coogler used his vampires to make us question whether or not we can believe what vampires claim. Jack O’Connell’s Remmick rolls into town with the ability to read the minds of those connected to him. He also provides an idea of what these vampires can “offer” others.
Remmick and his crew give the chance at a “freedom” to Smoke and Stack (both played by Michael B. Jordan) and the people they love. They can all be together, free from the pains this world wants to inflict on them just because of their skin. But the question then is can you trust what a vampire says?
It’s all a fascinating look at a story we’ve seen but with Coogler’s unique vision on it.
Not the same old song and dance
The call of a vampire is something we’ve seen in media. Whether it is the literal shadowy connection of Ellen and Count Orlok in Nosferatu or a more generalized idea, it is part of the lore. But with Sinners, the connection to the vampires isn’t necessarily on their side of the coin.
The music they play does attract people to their bite. But the reason the vampires even are aware of the bar that Smoke and Stack opened up is because of Sammy’s (Miles Caton) music. It is a key part of Sinners. Music unites them all, vampires and the living.
There is a lot of deeper meaning in that idea that even those trying to hunt us can find a common ground with his but I do love that Sammy’s music is that powerful. Even a vampire was drawn to him and that’s kind of wonderful.
But what also kind of rules about Sinners is how much of a slow burn the film ends up being. You’re almost a full hour into the movie before you see any real vampire stuff and it didn’t feel like a slough to get there. It is captivating, beautiful, and terrifying all rolled into one generation spanning song and I loved every second of it.
When we say we want new stories on our myths and lore, this is what we mean. We want new takes on vampire stories and Coogler really gave us all something special with Sinners.
(featured image: Warner Bros.)
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
