Summary
Sinners is one of the highest rated movies of 2025 by both critics and individuals alike, and after first watch, it’s clear to see why. Ryan Coogler manages to tie together faith, racism, music, romance, vampires, and more into what many are claiming to be his best work yet. While an erotic vampire thriller may sound silly at first, Coogler manages to pack many deeper meanings layered throughout the movie, many of which highlight the struggles of the black community in American history.
The Klan
Perhaps the most obvious and surface-level form of racism in Sinners comes from the infamous Ku Klux Klan. Early in the movie, Hogwood, a senior Klan member, sells a sawmill to twins Smoke and Stack, who use it to open a club. At first, it seems like a simple business transaction. But Hogwood’s true intentions are revealed later—he plans an ambush with his fellow Klansmen the morning after the sale, hoping to commit violence against the two brothers.
Smoke and Stack had done nothing to provoke Hogwood. They agreed to a fair price for the property and paid the full amount in cash, causing him no trouble. Yet despite this, Hogwood attempts to murder both brothers, driven by nothing but blind hatred. This represents the most traditional form of racism in America: white people who hate Black people without rhyme or reason.
The Vampires
While the vampires share the same violent end goal as the Klan members, their motives for murder are entirely different. When the lead vampire, Remmick, hears the impressive musical talents of Sammie, he becomes irresistibly drawn to him and is willing to kill anyone in his path to possess him. But unlike Hogwood, Remmick’s goal is not fueled by hatred—it’s fueled by admiration. Sammie’s musical gift is so powerful it can bring back spirits from the past and future. Remmick, an immortal vampire weighed down by the memories of his lost loved ones, sees Sammie’s gift as a way to reconnect with his own past. He does not want to destroy Sammie. He wants to control him.
This dynamic between Sammie and Remmick reflects a deeper and more complex form of Black struggle, one rooted in exploitation rather than outright hatred. Throughout American history, Black talent in music, film, and sports has often been admired, celebrated, and controlled by white-owned institutions. Black people have created sounds, styles, and stories that shaped culture, but they rarely retained the rights, profits, or power over their own work. In Sinners, Remmick’s obsession with Sammie mirrors this reality. Like a true vampire, he does not just admire Sammie's gift, he seeks to drain it for himself, sucking the life and power out of Sammie in the same way that industries have drained Black talent for profit. This is a quieter violence, but one just as damaging as the Klan's, and often harder to see.
Blues vs Faith
A recurring theme throughout the film is Sammie's relationship with his father, a priest. Early on, his father's disapproval of Sammie's music is made clear when he warns, "You keep dancing with the devil, one day he gone follow you home." Although Sammie brushes off the warning, he promises to attend church the next morning. This moment shows that while Sammie has not turned his back on his faith, he also refuses to abandon his love for the Blues. This tension is reinforced at the end of the film, when Sammie returns to the church after surviving a night of horror at the Juke Joint. His father, seeing the trauma his son endured, urges him to give his life fully to God. Yet even then, Sammie clutches his guitar, unwilling to let go of the music that both defines him and brings him pain.
While the reason for Sammie refusing to drop his guitar is up for interpretation, it may be a criticism of church music in the Black community. Despite his passion for both faith and music, Sammie indicates in a conversation with his older cousin that he refuses to add elements of gospel into his Blues. This is because the sheer naivety in church music does not resonate with the soul of a people who have experienced so much hardship throughout their history. Gospel speaks of salvation, hope, and an eternal reward, but Blues speaks to the pain of living in the present. For Sammie, the Blues is a more honest reflection of Black life, a life marked by struggle, loss, and survival. His refusal to give up the Blues, even after all the suffering he endures, is a statement that the reality of pain cannot simply be ignored. It must be faced, lived through, and expressed.
Conclusion
Sinners ties together horror, music, and faith to explore different sides of Black struggle. Through the Klan, the vampires, and the tension between Blues and gospel, the film shows how that struggle is not always just about direct hate, but also about control and survival. Coogler uses these layers to tell a story that feels grounded in real history, even within a supernatural setting.