Sinners review: I've seen the first truly great movie of 2025

Let’s just dive right into it — Sinners is the first truly great movie of 2025. A fantastic blend of horror, action and grade-A storytelling that make it the kind of movie that you have to see on the big screen (I recommend it in IMAX if you can). That was the hope as this is the latest collaboration between Michael B. Jordan, who stars, and writer/director/producer Ryan Coogler, and the pair knocked it out of the park once again; they are quickly becoming an iconic big screen duo.

Sinners takes place in the Mississippi Delta in the early 1930s. Twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both played by Jordan), return after years away in World War One and working the crime scene in Chicago to open up their own juke joint.

They plan to throw a big opening night filled with blues, booze and dancing, with the help of old friends and their young cousin, talented and aspiring blues player Sammie (Miles Caton). However, their party soon draws the attention of some mysterious, dark figures, who threaten not only the good time, but everyone’s lives.

This is such a well-written and well-performed movie. Exhibit A, the movie probably goes a good 40 minutes or more just setting up the characters and world that it takes place in before we get to the party that serves as the main set piece. Yet you will still be fully hooked as Smoke and Stack go about gathering their old friends and family to help them with the party. Coogler masterfully and meticulously portrays the world of the story, revealing the character’s history, motivations and teasing little secrets that will pay off later. That is a testament to Coogler’s writing and filmmaking, but also to the performances.

No surprise Jordan is superb, effectively playing the dual role of the twins. But the supporting cast has a number of standout performances as well, including Li Jun Li, Delory Lindo, Wunmi Mosaku and Jack O’Connell, the latter of which gives a great villain performance. Hailee Steinfeld, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller and Caton round out a strong ensemble cast.

Coogler also has an interesting theme running throughout on the power and connected history of music. An opening narration details the idea that music connects generations past and future, which is impressively shown in an extended one-shot sequence. However, the movie’s story also plays with the idea that it can beckon evil spirits, which ultimately leads to the climactic final act. It’s a fun idea well executed by Coogler.

There were only a couple of things that I wasn’t over the moon with in this movie. I can see what Coogler was trying to do with some sound design choices, but to me they actually were confusing and more of a distraction. Also, there are some heavy Southern accents, which at times can make things a bit hard to understand. But those are pittances in the grand scheme of it all, as Sinners is entertaining as hell.

Stepping back from the movie itself, special praise needs to go to Coogler and Jordan. In Hollywood history there are some actor-director pairings that just about always produced a good movie — Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart, Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro, Spike Lee and Denzel Washington. We may very well be at the point that Coogler and Jordan belong among those legends.

The pair have worked together on Fruitvale Station, Creed and Black Panther (Jordan also had a cameo in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever). Sinners is another incredible entry to their creative collaboration. Take note Hollywood, if these two want to make a movie together, let them.

Movie fans, I plead with you, go see Sinners. This is the type of big, bold original filmmaking that we deserve, so let’s reward it with a strong box office showing. I promise you, you’ll be glad you took the opportunity to see it on the big screen.

Sinners is now playing exclusively in movie theaters worldwide.