No Saints in Sight: Sinners Dives Deep into the Darkness

In a town built on secrets and silence, seven souls must face the sins they swore they’d buried—because redemption always comes with a price.
Director Ryan Coogler’s 2025 film Sinners is a genre-defying Southern Gothic horror drama set in 1932 Mississippi.
The movie follows twin brothers Smoke and Stack, World War I veterans portrayed by Michael B. Jordan, who return to their hometown to start anew. They invest in a sawmill to establish a juke joint for the local Black community, aiming to create a safe haven amidst the racial tensions of the era. While trying to leave their life of crime behind by moving back, things start to get tense as society exploits Black music and culture.
The movie Sinners can commonly be compared to The Color Purple because they both portray the struggles and resilience of Black communities in the early 20th-century American South, under the shadow of systemic racism and oppression. While The Color Purple focuses on the personal journey of Black women facing abuse, poverty, and societal limitations, Sinners centers on two Black male veterans trying to build a safe space for their community during the Jim Crow era. Both movies emphasize the importance of community and family as sources of healing.
Director Ryan Coogler masterfully crafts Sinners, a film that will haunt and awaken the audience. He blends supernatural horror with historical reality in a way that doesn’t just entertain—it forces viewers to confront the brutal legacy of racism and the spiritual strength of those who resisted it. Through richly drawn characters, southern landscapes, and a haunting blues soundtrack, Coogler immerses the audience in a world where the real horrors of the Jim Crow South are just as chilling as the supernatural ones. His storytelling doesn’t rely on jump scares, but on emotional truth and cultural depth, leaving a lasting impact that lingers long after the credits roll. The movie Sinners can be found playing in theaters right now, and is expected to later debut on Max, and be available to rent on streaming platforms like Prime Video.