By Neveah Morofsky
Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” released in theaters April, 18, 2025, and despite its global release nearly a year ago, the horror film is still active in conversation concerning not only film but also the role of heavier political and social themes in mainstream media.
The American horror film is described as, in simple terms, a vampire movie. A quick watch of the trailer or the movie itself reveals much deeper messaging and thematic elements, but it is, first and foremost, a horror. What the horror element is actually about shifts throughout the story, but whether one focuses on the racial disparity and the fear of being Black in the 1930’s American South, or the bloodthirsty vampires lingering outside your door, the fear is palpable.
In an interview with The FACE led by reporter Hanna Flint, writer, producer, and director of “Sinners,” Ryan Coogler, spoke about the inspiration behind the film, as well as the themes of capitalism and colonialism within it. He cites the novel “Salem’s Lot” as a source of inspiration, following in the footsteps of author Stephen King when it comes to abstract and unique storytelling.
“It’s a beautiful book. It’s my favorite book of his,” Coogler said, “and I always wanted to make something like that, so that concept and idea is the biggest influence.”
Within the story itself, twins Smoke and Stack return to Clarksdale, Mississippi, after staying in Chicago with the idea of buying a mill and turning it into a juke joint for their community. They succeed, and the mill is momentarily a place of safety, community, respect, and unifying culture through music. The mill had been sold to them through a local landowner, who also had a high-ranking title within the Ku Klux Klan in the area.
Coogler expresses the idea that many fans have picked up on: the twins, as well as everyone in the juke joint, would have been dead by morning regardless.
Using a mythical creature like a vampire to show the fear and violence of being a black person in the 1930s American South was something that was done expertly. Coogler is able to capture that anxiety and search for freedom in a way that brings in not only a fantastical threat, but also a very real one.
As the average movie fan, or simply pop culture follower, would know, the soundtrack for the film is something that caught most audiences’ attention. With songs such as “Pale, Pale Moon”, “Last Time (I Seen The Sun),” and “Rocky Road to Dublin,” the musical element of the film was almost entirely the focus. A large focus was on combining cultures, with elements of African American, Chinese, and Irish history all sharing the screen.
One particular sequence hung in the minds of audience members: the scene featuring the song “I Lied To You,” which includes dancers from different points in Chinese and African American culture and history. Hip-hop dancers are shown alongside a Xiqu dancer, a Zaouli performer dancing along to the same music as a modern ballerina; the entire sequence was done to show the intrinsic human connection formed through music, and how, despite the differences in culture and even time, music still unites people across the world to this day.
During a podcast episode of In Proximity featuring Coogler and Ludwig Göransson, composer and executive producer on “Sinners,” they discuss the importance of blues music in their own history as well as integrating it into the movie. The specific scene featuring “I Lied To You” is a main focus of the podcast episode, with Coogler and Göransson discussing the process of creating the scene itself. Coogler describes how the movie was dedicated to his uncle, who had passed a decade before the release of “Sinners”.
“He meant the world to me, and the only music he would listen to was the blues,” Coogler said. “That was what he loved… That was his thing.”
With family being such an integral part of the storyline, it becomes evident how much weight Coogler and the rest of the team put on that theme. The story is one of belonging, finding your place with the people around you, and keeping those you love close. “Sinners” spends a great deal of time emphasizing the importance of familial bonds, romance, and found community, and whether one trumps the other or if they can coexist together.
In the words of the film’s very own Ryan Coogler in his interview with Flint, “(T)he concept of community is the thing that fuels all of it. The most powerful characters in this movie are fueled by that concept. And the vampire, for me, has to be looking for that.”
The point of all of this, the reason people still discuss this film a year after its release, is because of the immense impact it has had on filmmaking, as well as on global audiences. “Sinners” is the most Oscar-nominated film of all time, with 16 nominations.
As of March 15, the movie has won four Oscar awards, including Best Actor, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, and Original Score. It has won numerous awards in regard to the film itself, its crew, and its cast, and it continues to break records, with it now holding the most nominations for a film by a Black director in BAFTA history.
While “Sinners” has made history in terms of the film industry, it also opens the doors for more diverse artists and art forms. The optimism for the future of creativity has skyrocketed because of this movie, and the bar has been raised astonishingly.
“Sinners” is now available to watch on HBO Max, Amazon Prime, and Hulu.
