Even before its worldwide release, writer-director Ryan Coogler’s new film, Sinners, had critics and audiences buzzing. Starring Michael B. Jordan in a dual leading role, this horror blockbuster pits a group of people living in Jim Crow-era Mississippi against a horde of evil vampires in a cinematic showdown unlike any other. Overall, critics have had nothing but good things to say about 2025’s Sinners, which has left the hype for this film feeling extremely palpable.

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners has already scored a mind-blowing 97% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Since Sinners‘s early RT score is higher than Black Panther’s, the reception to Coogler’s latest blockbuster is especially astounding. From its stellar cast and visuals to its layered story, there are reportedly many reasons why Sinners is being hailed as one of the best movies of 2025 so far.

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Outstanding Visuals

Sinners Is A Visual Masterpiece

Ryan Coogler has taken pride in the visuals he’s produced for Sinners, having broken down its different viewing options in a video leading up to its release. SH๏τ on both Ultra Panavision 70mm film and IMAX 70mm film, Coogler’s horror film is said to feature breathtaking imagery throughout, making it a feast for the eyes for the most pᴀssionate of cinephiles.

Emma Kiely from Collider wrote that with Sinners, Coogler “turns the Jim Crow era of the American South into a sprawling palette that feels anything but [barren]” and that “every sH๏τ has a troubling undercurrent of a foreboding sense of doom.” Given that Coogler has had experience creating blockbuster-worthy visuals with movies like Black Panther, it’s no surprise that he was able to deliver more jaw-dropping imagery in Sinners with cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw.

4

The Music

Music Is A Huge Part Of Sinners’ Success

Music plays an integral part in Sinners. In fact, the movie’s trailer revealed that Sammie was inadvertently responsible for summoning the vampire Remmick to Smoke and Stack’s party with his music. Unsurprisingly, Comic Book Resources‘ Hannah Rose reported that Sinners has fantastic musical numbers featuring blues, folk rock, and bluegrᴀss. This music adds plenty of style and flair to this vampire horror movie, making it an especially unique and appealing addition to the genre.

Much praise has also been given to composer Ludwig Göransson’s original score in Sinners. Rose wrote that the soundscape created by Göransson “consists of ominous bᴀss strings, mournful harmonicas and steel pedal guitars, rising and falling with pitch and urgency, their sounds ranging from hysteric feverishness.” This score adds another distinctive, auditory layer to Sinners, making it a thrilling and immersive cinematic experience.

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The Performances

A Talented Cast Steals The Show

Actors play a mᴀssive part in a movie’s success, and Sinners seems to have hit the jackpot thanks to its A-list performers. The Hollywood Reporter‘s David Rooney wrote that “[Michael B.] Jordan throws himself into his dual roles [as Smoke and Stack] with authority, sly humor, and effortlessly masculine physicality,” but succeeds in setting these twin brothers apart. Given that Coogler has worked with Jordan in the Creed and Black Panther films, it’s no surprise that the director was able to summon not one, but two noteworthy performances from his lead star.

On top of that, Sinners is said to feature many more spectacular performances from its supporting players, many of whom now seem destined to become household names. Collider singled out Hailee Steinfeld’s performance and “fiery” chemistry with Jordan, as well as the performances of Wunmi Mosaku, Miles Catton, and Jack O’Connell. While Sinners had more than enough Michael B. Jordan, the film also seems to have given enough room for the lead’s co-stars to shine.

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Its Themes

Sinners Explores Race And Culture

As Black Panther has shown, Ryan Coogler is no stranger to presenting entertaining and insightful films with strong social commentary. Though Sinners is a horror movie featuring vampires, it apparently has a lot to say about Black culture and history. According to Julian Roman from MovieWeb, Coogler “pulls no punches depicting segregated life [in the film], but wants to show how people found happiness and escaped crushing subjugation at roaring juke joints.”

Vampires have long been used as symbols of humanity’s darker side, bringing up themes of death, Sєxual desire, and even addiction. But in the context of Sinners, Coogler uses vampires in a unique way by making them symbols of white oppression as Remmick and his demonic followers crash Smoke and Stack’s party and try to take control of everyone by turning them into vampires.

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Its Original Story

Ryan Coogler Delivers A Fresh Blockbuster

After directing 2015’s Creed, Ryan Coogler rose to prominence as a Marvel movie director with Black Panther. However, like Christopher Nolan, Coogler seems to have broken away from IP-based filmmaking to deliver a fresh and original blockbuster with Sinners, cementing himself as one of Hollywood’s best auteurs.

Variety‘s Owen Gleiberman claimed Sinners is a “personal vision” from Coogler, one that shows a “commanding demonstration of how lavishly spirited and ‘serious’ a popcorn movie can be.” Blending action, horror, and historical racial drama, Sinners is a distinctive combination of genres that stands out from other stories within these genres. As many have grown tired of Hollywood’s constant flow of sequels, prequels, remakes, and spin-offs, critics have gotten behind this new director-driven film and its refreshingly unique take on the horror genre.