'Sinners' Review: A Good B Movie Made Great By A-List Talent
Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan’s latest has much on its mind, but it's primarily a chance for the Hollywood power team to play in the IMAX-worthy horror film sandbox.
Sinners
137 minutes, rated R (strong bloody violence, sexual content and language)
Written and directed by Ryan Coogler
Produced by Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian
Starring Michael B. Jordan, Miles Caton, Jack O’Connell, Hailee Steinfeld, Delroy Lindo, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller and Li Jun Li
Cinematography by Autumn Durald Arkapaw
Edited by Michael P. Shawver
Music by Ludwig Göransson
A Proximity Media Production
Opening theatrically the week of April 18, 2025, from Warner Bros. Discovery
Sinners, opening theatrically courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery next weekend, is precisely what you’d expect it to be. The 1930s-set genre riff’s biggest obstacle is expectations related to its artistic pedigree. I could name off half a dozen films similar enough to qualify as full-throated spoilers, pictures that in their day were viewed as “just a movie” matinee offerings and glorified B pictures. It’s not remotely Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan’s fault that Hollywood has devolved to where what used to be a “one for them” type programmer is now positioned as a high-risk, “one for me” roll of the dice merely by virtue of it A) being R-rated and B) not being based upon any existing or pre-sold material. The good news is that this is a unique concoction, not just because of its demographic specificity. It’s a B-movie made with A-level talent and A-level artistic aplomb.