Sinners: Will it be the best film of 2025? An Extensive Review

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their Mississippi hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

Director: Ryan Coogler

Genres: Horror, Adventure

Running time: 2h 17m

If you combined the minds of Quentin Tarantino and Jordan Peele, I think you’d get Ryan Coogler. Sinners combines everything these directors do best, from racial commentary, strong lead characters, revenge plots and obscene gore and violence - Coogler brings us an original story that is beyond entertaining and thought provoking. 

Set in 1932 Mississippi Delta, this horror folk tale explores the ideas of brotherhood, culture, music and… vampires? Yes, vampires - this film has thrown a multitude of themes and genres into the mixing pot to produce a one of a kind feature. Sinners isn’t a typical ‘vampire’ flick, quite the contrary, instead it is a political and societal commentary on history, black history, racism, humanity but most of all the power of music. 

Sinners reminded me of From Dusk till Dawn (1996) but more elevated. Sinners gave us strong character development, powerful backstories and some of the most intriguing, powerful characters on screen. 

Michael B. Jordan leads in dual roles as twin brothers Smoke and Stack, his performance was outstanding and quite frankly I was astounded by his distinct portrayal of both characters and his commitment to the emotional connection between the brothers.  

Alongside Jordan, the cast were all incredibly strong, from the supporting characters to the one liners. Every character in this film had a strong connection and impact on the story. Hailee Steinfeld, Wunmi Mosaku, Omar Benson Miller, Miles Caton, Jack O'Connell, Li Jun Li and Delroy Lindo to name a few. The cast all blew me away with their performances, all were incredibly nuanced and poised but each were able to bring comedic moments to the script too. 

Sinners is a triumph, without a doubt it is one of the most compelling stories I have had the pleasure of watching. I was moved by the characters, I was touched by the relationships and I was thrilled by the supernatural elements which I was not expecting at all. The film was flooded by cultural references and metaphors, one of the most impactful being the importance of music. The connection music can have with the living and the dead, the power music has to bring people together. 

Not only did Sinners have a strong sense of storytelling and characters but it was just as visually engrossing, the long tracking shots (particularly the dance scene with the coexistence of past and present music), extreme close ups, use of colour theory with the brothers, quick cuts and exhilarating action sequences. Sinners wasn’t just a vampire flick, it wasn’t just a story of brotherhood, it wasn’t just a commentary on black history, it wasn’t just a musically driven narrative - it was all those things and more.  

Overall, Sinners blended a mix of genres, characters, intentions, visuals, goals, cultures and music into one big cohesive viewing experience. I cannot recommend this film enough, if you like horror it fill feed tour appetite, if you like story character development it will enticing you, if you like action sequences and revenge plots it will surprise you. If you simply like good cinema, this film is a must watch.  

Probe Points 

4.5 / 5 ★

Spoilers Warning Below

Proceed with Caution !

The final takedown was unforgettable, it was unexpected feast for the eyes and I couldn’t look away. As I thought the film was coming to a close, I was met with an action packed revenge spree, watching as Smoke effortlessly and masterfully eliminates all the racists. As the killing comes to the end and Smoke sits himself down, we are met with a truly heartbreaking moment. As Smoke attempts to roll himself a cigarette, something his brother always did for him, he is met with the apparition of his late partner and their daughter - when I tell you this scene deeply moved me, from endless killing of vampires to a genuinely emotional conclusion this film masterfully depicts a range of emotions.

The post credit scene is essential, often post credit scenes can be a waste of time and reveal nothing to conclude the story to develop its characters but this post credit scene was integral to the story. My little heart skipped a beat when I realised Sammie achieved his dreams and continued to grace the world with his music. Then, we see Stack and Mary waltz into the club it an incredibly reveal. I was so pleased with this final scene and I thought it tied up the story perfectly and it felt necessary and satisfactory.

Final Film Probe thoughts...

THIS FILM IS ABOUT COMMUNITY! It is a combination of themes, genres, culture and more, like i've said but at this films core is community.

It makes me to unbelievably happy to see a film like this on the big screen, it was impactful and poignant. It moved me to tears and it made me laugh, my jaw was on the floor at times and It made me jump out of my skin.

Sinners (2025) is a film that brings people together, in desperation and when there is nowhere else to turn - this film forces us together. On the one hand through music and on the other through threat and deceit.

Also, I wanted to briefly touch upon the idea of 'The Fallen Angel' - Jack O'Connell's character Remmick is an Irish immigrant and the inclusion of this character was a direct reference to the continuing divide in culture and potential for revenge and carnage. I was particularly drawn to the use of Irish music throughout the movie, Remmick was an interesting villain and catalyst for the mayhem but more than anything, the use of Irish music created such a sense of community for the vampires and reinforced a 'cult' atmosphere to his tribe.

Music was of course another core theme to the film alongside community, it was incredibly powerful to listen to and it had a direct and strong impact on all the characters. It represents every character within the film, from the Irish folk music as I said, to the obvious Blues and Jive music throughout and the inclusion of subtle Chinese music too. The film was filled with culture and representation, although it was a horror film and sometimes those moments can get lost in the cross fire. I still found the distinct cultural references to be moving and impactful as a viewer - especially the psychedelic, surrealist scene when Sammie was playing his guitar and the literally materialisation of past and future musicians coming together - gave me goosebumps.