I peccatori

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.

Let me just say it straight: the beginning of this film was absolutely brilliant. No joke. From the very first scene, I was fully in. The way it was shot, the mood, the pacing - it all hit hard. You could tell the filmmakers knew exactly what they were doing. Everything looked and sounded top-tier. It had that high-quality feel you only get when people really care about what they're making.

The intro pulled me in fast. I didn't even check my phone once, which says a lot. The atmosphere was intense, and every scene felt like it mattered. The camera work was clean, the lighting was on point, and the sound design added a ton of tension. It honestly felt like a masterclass in how to start a movie right.

The way they built everything up was impressive. There was a solid rhythm to how the story moved, and you could tell a lot of time and thought went into the setup. The characters were introduced smoothly, and the world they created felt real and believable. I was fully locked in.

But then it hit a wall.

About two-thirds into the movie, things started to slip. And by the time the ending rolled around, it was clear: they had either run out of time, budget, or energy - maybe all three. The final act felt completely rushed. It was like they just wanted to wrap things up as fast as possible. There was barely any payoff for all the buildup we got earlier. Big questions were left unanswered, and moments that should've hit hard just kind of... didn't.

The ending felt lazy. Not in a "we didn't care at all" way, but more like "we didn't plan this part out properly." You could see the difference in effort. The quality dropped, the pacing sped up too much, and characters that had been developed early on were suddenly just background noise. It honestly felt like a different movie by the time it ended - and not in a good way.

It's frustrating, because the film had the potential to be great. The opening made me think I was watching one of the best films of the year. But a great start doesn't matter if you don't finish strong. And this film didn't. It faded out instead of going out with impact.

That said, I'm not saying don't watch it. There's still a lot to like here - especially the first half. If you're into movies with strong direction, nice visuals, and a gripping start, you'll probably enjoy most of it. But if you're the type who needs a solid, satisfying ending to feel like it was worth your time, this one might leave you disappointed.

Bottom line: amazing start, weak finish. A film that grabs your attention early, but lets go too soon. It deserved better. I'd give it a 7 or maybe a 8 out of 10, mostly because of how strong the first half is. But yeah - if they had nailed the ending, we'd be talking 9 or even 9.5 easily.

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.

(2 viewings, opening night IMAX 4/17/2025, 11/21/2025)

The plot for this movie is pretty much lifted from Dusk to Dawn. You introduce a handful of characters and get them all to a single location where they are then attacked by vampires. Sinners is much slower, more of a William Faulkner version of a vampire movie. The production design and cinematography are excellent. The cast is very good. The music is good. Everything about this production top notch.

However, I struggled to get through this. There were many long scenes where the dialogue became cumbersome. It felt like the whole movie was a slow burn moving toward a rousing climax of horror, but when they got there it was underwhelming. It never delivered the scares or the sense of danger.

I really thought I was going to love Sinners even before I saw the glowing reviews, but after seeing so much hype I was really excited. Unfortunately my expectations weren't even close to being met.

Not a whole lot happens in this movie, to describe the plot would only take one sentence. The filming was done well and the music elevated the overall film but it just falls flat and it left me feeling unsatisfied. I expected more from this and wish it had been as entertaining as I was promised.