Los pecadores

First of all: this is not a horrible movie, but it sure as hell isn't what the ratings make it out to be. It's sort of like From Dusk Till Dawn, but then with a predictable and not so good second half. And, as is the problem with a lot of movies these days: it's about an hour too long.

I really liked the first half. Up until the scene wherein Sammy makes music at the Juke Joint, which seems wildly out of place to me. It wasn't funny, smart and totally unnecessary in my opinion. Everything after that was cliche, full of the standard horror tropes and just not that good in my opinion. The acting is pretty good, the imagery is beautiful, but all in all it really falls short as a horror movie and overstays its welcome by a long shot.

First half of the movie was very good. Great character set up. Second half of the movie the plot progressed very quickly with nothing particularly interesting happening. Not much of a story line involved and movie ended abruptly. The acting was great, Michael B Jordan did a wonderful job playing smock and stack and some of the supporting characters were great as well. The movie was filmed perfectly. Music was obviously great as well. Plot and storyline did not move the needle for me. Post credit scene was cool!

For years I've been emphasizing the importance of music in movies; how an amazing musical score can significantly elevate a movie. It shouldn't just be background dressing. It should be brought to the forefront. It should drive the story. It should be a character in itself. It should give you goosebumps in the big moments. Sinners is one of the best examples of this.

Aside from the music, I could tell I was watching high-quality filmmaking within five minutes. The directing, camerawork, editing, and sound design are pristine. The entire cast does a great job, but Michael B. Jordan shines. He is a superstar.

Sinners is also surprisingly funny, without taking away from the seriousness. And the horror elements are... satisfying. This movie goes hard.

Advice: Certain scenes have an expanded aspect ratio that will only be shown in IMAX. If you can't go to an IMAX, any premium screen will do (Dolby Cinema, UltraScreen, EMX, etc). This movie benefits more than most from the larger screen and louder speakers.

Also, I missed A LOT of the dialogue, you may want to ask for a closed caption device.

(1 viewing, opening night IMAX 4/17/2025)

It feels like The Sinners was directed by two different Cooglers-one responsible for the first half, and another for the second. If I had to rate them separately: the first half is a solid 8, the second a disappointing 4.

The film starts off brilliantly. Set in the Deep South during the 1930s, it plunges us into a world of chain gangs, overt racism, and raw human struggle-all wrapped in the soul of music. The characters are distinctive and memorable, the performances are top-notch, and the world-building is rich and atmospheric. It's a western, a drama, and a musical all at once, and somehow it works. For a while.

Then comes the second half.

This is where things fall apart. The pivot to horror-specifically vampires-feels abrupt and half-hearted. There's barely a story holding it together, and the horror/action sequences barely last 10-15 minutes. They lack any real suspense or memorable set pieces. The execution feels rushed and undercooked, especially after such a powerful setup.

The final 5-7 minutes attempt a bold anti-Klan message, and it's likely this moment of violence and symbolism that won over many critics. But for me, it was too little, too late.

What's most frustrating is the wasted potential. This could've been a truly unique vampire film-rooted in history, rich in theme, driven by character and song. Instead, it leaves you wondering what could've been if the second half had lived up to the promise of the first.

Went to see this because I like vampire movies, and Tom Cruise endorsed it. Never saw him endorsing any movies so I got more curious.

Production, costume, make up, visuals are very good.

Story is meh. Standard vampire look and behavior. Another movie implying some faith doesn't work in fighting demons but a voodoo mojo does, nothing new there.

I dislike musicals so its musical parts added nothing for me. The past and future music evoked could have been more abstract, but they were real people in different eras costumes mingling in, kinda ruined the believability of the 1930s vibe for me. Looked like a silly company dinner and dance instead.

Can totally see certain demographic overhyping this. Again, nothing new.

An okay watch overall, fun at times.