Ryan Coogler's 'Sinners' is a vampire film set in a 1930s juke joint, serving as an allegory for America's historical and contemporary struggles with race and freedom. The film portrays vampires representing forces that seek to erase Black culture, particularly its rich musical legacy rooted in the struggles of enslaved Africans. Instead of focusing on typical action sequences, Coogler delves into the intricate lives and relationships of Black characters, emphasizing music's importance through a vivid depiction of Black musical history and its connection to identity and existence. The film ultimately celebrates Black culture while critiquing societal dynamics.
Sinners is an epic, unapologetically Black film... Coogler seems to be more concerned with the complicated lives of his characters - their connections to each other and to the music.
Those in power want to erase history in favor of a false narrative of American togetherness and harmony. It's a song that threatens to drown out the distinct way that the blues emerged from enslaved Africans.
In Sinners, vampires are eager to extract this music and its people from their source. They become a stand-in for the way this country has become overrun by those hellbent on draining the life out of people.
The camera moves through the space as if it were dancing along to this Black musical continuum. Here, Coogler makes it clear that this is a film about Black music and existence.
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