The following contains spoilers for Sinners, now playing in theaters

Sinners gives the vampiric Remmick an interesting motivation by having him target Sammie because of his music. Sinners is largely about a group of characters trying to survive an encounter with vampires in 1932 Mississippi, but the film’s true themes go far deeper than the overt horror movie elements central to the premise. While Smoke and Stack are central to the story, the real focus character of Sinners is their younger cousin Sammie. A young but gifted musician, Sammie is central to their scheme to open a juke joint before growing up to become a blues legend in Sinners‘ ending.

Sammie is more than just a guitar player and a singer, however. It turns out the young man is also so gifted that his abilities as a musician transcend life and death. This gives him a unique ability that Sinners showcases in one of its most compelling visual beats, underscoring the importance of music to the character and to the film’s themes as a whole. It’s also a clever way to give the villainous vampire Remmick a motivation beyond being a bloodthirsty monster and makes him a far more compelling character as a result.

Sammie Is A Unique Type Of Musician In Sinners

Sammie Is So Good At Music, He Can Play For The Past And Future, Living And The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ

Sammie isn’t just a talented musician in Sinners, but possesses the ability to transcend reality with his playing — which is why Remmick is trying to turn him into a vampire. As established in the opening sequence of Sinners, some musicians from different cultures are capable of performing music in a way that it breaks the barriers between the living and the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. The intro cites examples of this that could be found in places like Ireland, China, and West Africa, all filtered through their own particular style of art and music.

Sammie showcases this ability during his showstopping performance in Sinners, where he sings “I Lied To You” to the enjoyment of the patrons at the juke joint. As he plays and everyone becomes overwhelmed by the music, unseen visions of other musicians from across history appear, ranging from Zaouli dancers, crip walkers, electric guitarists, a ballerina, and Peking opera performers all moving in tandem to the music and adding to it. This connection is something special but not unheard of, which is why Remmick understands what Sammie can do and why he wants it so bad.

Remmick Wants To Reconnect With His Lost Loved Ones

Remmick Wants Sammie’s Music So Reach Back Into The Past For Him