Sinners

This is my first movie review, in general I haven’t written about movies as often. I’m not sure why, perhaps simply that there feels like there are plenty of movie reviews already, or that reviewing a television show feels like there’s more to write about since there’s simply more content to discuss. But, on the subway ride home, I had some thoughts as to what I had just watched. So here I am, writing out my thoughts at 1 AM.

Spoilers Ahead

Spoiling Trailer Hatred and Reconciliation

This movie was on my shortlist to watch in theater after I saw the first trailer. But after seeing the expanded trailer during Mickey 17, which reveals that it is a vampire film, and which characters are turned, I threw up my hands and said, “well I’m not seeing that movie in theaters. I’ll wait for streaming.” But alas, the great reviews over opening weekend got me intrigued again, and so I went for it. Now watching the film, I see why they gave away the vampire twist. The vampire reveal comes relatively early, and it becomes pretty obvious the path they’re going down. They don’t really beat around the bush. I would still recommend not giving this away, as the longer you dread the white supremacist / Klan members as the antagonist, the more enjoyable the twist to vampires would be. Warner Bros. you made a mistake, and you got away with it. Please don’t do it again.

Brief Review

Sinners is filled with excellent music, fantastic acting, an entrancing atmosphere and vibes, and beautiful long tracking single shots (filled with great choreography that keeps you glued to the screen). It’s really a mix of three films, a standard southern racism period drama, a classic vampire horror, and an alternative fantasy political commentary. Of the three, the latter is the one that still sticks with me, but it’s in combination that Ryan Coogler, the director, really brought something fresh to the classic genres.

Biggest Mistake

There are some small choices that were odd, like opening an Irish beer at the train station with lots of cops around during prohibition. Or how terrible the Klan was at aiming. Or how when the vampires enter the mill, our heroes suddenly have some extra cannon fodder with them and survive way longer than makes sense given how strong the vampires were set up to be.

But the worst mistake is having Jack O’Connell’s Remmick (the lead vampire) get defeated by the sunrise. Not only is this incredibly played out in vampire films (just last year in Nosferatu they went a similar route), it doesn’t really make any sense. He wasn’t tied down, or tricked, or unaware, he simply just got burned to oblivion by a normal sunrise. He seems to be quite old, referencing a conversion to Christianity that would implyhe lived in Ireland a millennia ago. So how could this character simply forget what time sunrise is after so much practice (hundreds of thousands if he retreated every night). What’s stranger is that the guitar with a silver resonator would have been the perfect final blow to eliminate him. They do it, and it doesn’t end him. Or if it did, they should have been clearer that it was the killing blow. It’s such a good hidden in plain sight Chekhov’s gun, a wasted opportunity.

Unexplored Plot

It bothered me that Remmick was introduced during daylight (which sort of seems strange given that we saw how fast the other vampires were burnt by the sun), running outdoors for what must have been really far away (that house was pretty isolated). His arrival is a welcome sight, because it finally moves the plot forward. However, it’s the people chasing him that are really the interesting ones. The Choctaw vampire hunters. They seem unscathed, calm, well versed, and quietly effective. Seeing how fast these vampires can convert people, and how long Remmick has lived, it’s very impressive. They’re considerate, but not stupid. I need more from this plotline. A post credit scene that gives us something on them would have been greatly appreciated. The couple who originally interacts with the Choctaw claim by Remmick says there aren’t even native Americans in the area, and given their racism, it feels like they would know. So why are they there, how did they eliminate all of Remmick’s previous converts, and get him on the run during the daylight?

What a Great Mid-Credits Scene

The movie would have been much worse off without this scene. Unlike most gimmicky mid/post credits scenes, this one was profoundly important. I’d argue to say that without it the movie is incomplete. This completely flips the ending as we know it, and for the better. Stack and Mary showing up 60 years later, looking pretty put together, suggests a whole fantasy world exists. But more importantly, it proves that they have autonomy since Stack took Smoke’s deal to live and didn’t reneg or try to just bite him afterwards. Which then proves that they have independent motivations. It gives the brothers a stronger bond as well as emphasizes their differences. Stack was always more impulsive and aggressive, whereas Smoke is more reserved and thoughtful.

But I digress, back to this vampire autonomy. At the core it means that this independence combined with the shared memories, the newly converted vampires are actively choosing to try and convert more people, not simply because of their hunger for blood, but because they truly believe it is the best route forward for their community. They actually believe what they’re seductively pitching. This new life is a full blooded rejection of traditional western society that has subjugated and repressed them. As vampires, they could truly be free. They can feel less pain. It has Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan’s role from Black Panther) energy of a minority led uprising against the white dominated system. I mean there’s a close moment that Smoke starts to understand and nearly willingly accepts the conversion. But his love for Annie and his faith that he can do real change as a man keeps him from joining Stack.

The brothers’ different relationships is key to their choice of “ending”. Stack and Mary are more upset at traditional society, as their main rift is how they can’t be together due to their racial differences in a Jim Crowe Mississippi is a fair and obvious hurdle. For them to elect to join a new community, one that actively rejects the tenets that has systematically forced them apart for so long makes sense. Versus Smoke and Annie who are more spiritual, believing in their souls and more importantly, intently want to be reunited with their child in the afterlife. There is much less animosity between them, they are much more empathetic and understanding of their situation.

As a side note, it could even be argued that the converted Klan couple also “saw the light” and became more tolerant because of their new vampiric memories. Though it does raise an odd question regarding the Choctaw hunters. They kind of sit in defiance of this alternative life path and inadvertently support the Western society that we know very well isn’t very kind to them either. Perhaps a post credit scene could find a way to align them more with Annie and Smoke’s perspective, that provides a counterexample to the vampire way, with some faith, community, and music.

This Could Have Made It Better

It’s implied that Mary and Stack (intelligently, but pretty basic street smarts) don’t stay out at sunrise watching the final confrontation and somehow find somewhere safe to lie low during the day. However, it could have been cool if it was revealed in the post credits that Smoke hid them in the mill in order to keep them alive. Reiterating his brotherly bond, his desire to always protect him, and his understanding that Stack will have a chance to finally be free and independent. And then with the confrontation with the Ku Klux Klan, we could have some easter egg bullet shots coming from out the barn, as the two of them shoot from the inside to help Smoke. We could even have a reverse mourning as Smoke dies, Stack can’t save him and he has to be held by Mary to stay inside where it’s safe for them. This reveal could help affirm that the minority communities need to work together to stand against the white supremacists, as well as reinforce that Mary and Stack are still good, albeit vampires. It would be a cool complex addition that aligns with their respect of the original deal and approval of Sammie’s choice. It would have been a cool moment too, to reconnect the community via his music with cameos of everyone again.