Ryan Coogler does it once again with ‘Sinners’, his 1930s-set visionary take on vampires. This is a writer/director practically batting a thousand (‘Fruitvale Station’, ‘Creed’, ‘Black Panther’). From the opening scene to the closing, Coogler holds the audience in the palm of his hand, once again choosing to use genre to tell stories of black experience. This time he turns his pen and eye to the Deep South, painting a luscious portrait of passion over the backdrop of oppression, filled with fully realized characters and visceral horror.

Michael B. Jordan, who has had a part in every Coogler film to date, does double duty as the SmokeStack Twins, instantly iconic performances. It doesn’t take long to fall into the rhythms of these two separate characters after a technically bravura introduction where they share the screen passing a hand-rolled cigarette. While his star commands the screen as brothers in turns stoic/tough/haunted (Smoke) and genial/brash/charismatic (Stack), the movie actually revolves around their cousin Sammie (aka Preacher Boy). Played enthusiastically by newcomer Miles Caton, he ends up being the heart and soul of the picture. Sammie’s a sharecropper on the cotton fields by day, but comes alive as a captivating Blues guitarist by night. Returning to their hometown from a mobbed-up, prohibition-era Chicago, the twins have sought him out to basically headline as the entertainment for their newly purchased mill/barn-turned-nightclub. As they reunite with those who will participate in what’s to come later in the film, the audience is introduced to an impeccable cast.

There are the women with connections to both Jordan characters, Hailee Steinfeld’s Mary, who has a sultry and sexually charged history with Stack, and Wunmi Mosaku’s Annie, who has an even deeper romantic bond with Smoke. Both actresses play wonderfully against type in pivotal roles that provide some of the most memorable scenes and lines in the movie. There’s scene stealing Delroy Lindo’s Delta Slim, a harmonica player plied with the promise of exotic booze (Irish beer!) along with Omar Benson Miller’s Cornbread, the jovial bouncer. There’s the entrepreneurial Chinese couple (Yao and Li Jun Li) who run a few stores in town, providing service to the community, seeking that immigrant American Dream. It’s a true ensemble whom Coogler gives ample attention to shine. All provide integral contributions to the triumphs and trials in store.

What’s truly incredible about a film that purports to be about vampires, is that the first hour plus luxuriates in fleshing out the players, the setting, and the stakes. The movie is structured in a one-insane-night style. It’s a framing device that can work across multiple genres, has been done before in horror, and has even been used with vampires explicitly. Rather than a romp as many of those types of movies are, ‘Sinners’ is a true master of the device, with gorgeous wide shots of the characters driving through cotton fields, faded overlays of partygoers vibing over the musicians, and prolonged tracking shots galore. None of the craftsmanship and artistry overshadow the characters nor the story.

* * * MILD SPOILERS AHEAD * * *

While it’s understandable that the trailers had to give away the fact that this movie has a horror element, it would’ve been nice to not have known going in. What’s not revealed is that this original work has a new take on vampirism, as metaphor for cultural appropriation through music. The main vampire here, Remmick, as played by Jack O’Connell, is as comical as he is menacing, almost convincing the characters and the audience that there are a lot worse outcomes for the black population of this Mississippi town than joining the living dead. It’s not clear, but implied, that this bloodsucker has taken the musical skills of multiple groups of people. Once someone is infected, their memories become part of the overall “hive” of which he leads. These reveals are illustrated through some truly inspired (and to some degree corny and funny in the best ways) musical interludes. Coogler seems to have been influenced not only by the classic bait and switch Rodrgiguez/Tarantino 90s movie ‘From Dusk ‘Till Dawn’, but also Steve McQueen’s ‘Small Axe’, ‘Lovers Rock’ segment, in which a marginalized group expresses themselves for one passionate night through music.

Inspirations be damned, make no mistake, this is an incredible interpretation of the subject matter. ‘Sinners’ is presented in a manner so engrossing and enthralling, even the horror averse will be stimulated and entertained. Coogler is that truly rare crowd-pleasing talent, able to captivate and provoke an audience to respond using honesty and artistry, delivering films of universal appeal in thought-provoking ways . . .

Written & Directed By: Ryan Coogler

Rated: R

Running Time: 137 min.

* * * * (out of 4 stars) – OR – A