REVIEW: SINNERS

4/5

The Vampire Trap 

137 Mins. Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O'Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, Li Jun Li, Yao, Buddy Guy & Delroy Lindo. Screenplay: Ryan Coogler. Director: Ryan Coogler. In: Theatres.

Let he without sin, cast the first stake. Believe the hype. 'Sinners' isn't just one of the most successful movies of the year, it's also one of the best in calendars. Spike and Denzel. Scorsese and De Niro, or DiCaprio (hell, even both of them in 'Killers Of The Flower Moon'). Some of the best actor/director one-two punch partnerships of all-time now have some company. As a matter of fact, when it comes to Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan's shared filmography, they already did. 'Fruitvale Station', 'Creed', 'Black Panther', that cameo and now THIS! An outstanding and original, stand-alone movie that stand all on its own. One of the best blockbusters of the scorching summer, that actually came out in April (but is released this weekend in Japan), that could even show a final reckoning to 'Mission: Impossible'. Plus, Tom Cruise loves it too. This mud bound Mississippi Delta movie with shades of 'Blade' and 'From Dusk Till Dawn' tells more than vampires to get out to boot. Ones that they to 'Coco' communicate through music, breaking on through to the other side of the doors. Picking from the roots of black music, whilst some whites try to wash and pass it off as their own.

Jordan rules, firmly shaking the hoops hoopla namesake tag with a movie you should all invite into your homes now it's available to stream on Max. On a dual duty, playing twin brothers Smoke and Stack, Mike drops one of his best yet. Despite the fan speculation theorizing that his 'Creed III' co-star Jonathan Majors was going to play his brother before the former Kang who was conquering the box-office was accused of assault. Yet, this all Michael B. Jordan...and Michael B. Jordan in a compelling performance that captures a couple of cinematic classics like Leonardo DiCaprio in an 'Iron Mask', the 'Legend' of Tom Hardy and 'The Parent Trap'. 'The Wire' and former 'Fantastic Four' Human Torch just has the goods. He always has. Whether bringing the tragedy of Oscar Grant to the forefront with respect and honour, stealing the show in his masked up and lip pulled 'Black Panther' heist, or rejuvenating the 'Rocky' franchise with punch. Now, here he plays two sides of the same brotherhood coin perfectly, having his own back. Going Star-Lord on the pistols with anyone who tries to cross his family. And one hell of a line to match, those trying to outrun his gun.

That's what you get when you used to work for Capone in Chicago, but before this guy let's loose with a Tommy gun for an explosive and epic end, straight out of 'Django Unchained', you'll see him in a bloodied vest, shaking, trying to roll up a smoke with real vulnerability that hints at more than just the vapours that have cleared with the new morning in this movie. The great, first African-American Major League baseball player Jackie Robinson said that hate was a disease (and look what they did to him), and that's what they think the undead have here, as the vampires are a metaphor for the racism that still tries to drain people of colour to this very sad and very lost day and age. One of the best British actors around, 'Skins' and 'This Is England' star Jack O'Connell (see him as Amy Winehouse's love Blake in 'Back To Black' and in Tennessee Williams' 'Cat On A Hot Tin Roof' with Sienna Miller in the West End), leads this gang of the stalking dead, at his sweaty and creepy best, with the same red eyes you used to capture on camera film. Trying to work out who sucks blood with a garlic bulb taste test straight out of 'The Thing'. He's a dab hand on the banjo too, but that's got nothing on the Juke joint party that feels like a musical montage that brings all the generations together until the roof (the roof) is on fire.

Coogler's creative production also features a searing score from Ludwig Göransson ('Oppenheimer'), famous for awakening Childish Gambino's love. But nothing sounds as good as our introduction to singing star of the future Miles Caton, stealing the show from the second he takes us to church. When he shows Jordan's Stack what he's got with his guitar in the front seat of that Gumdrop, you just Michael's reaction isn't acting, B. 'True Grit' Oscar nominee and new 'Hawkeye' herself, Hailee Steinfeld also gets hers with combustible chemistry with Jordan, no Lively and Baldoni drama (she's married and Mike's no 'Spider-Verse' star). Elsewhere, 'Luther' and 'Loki' star Wunmi Mosaku shows real spirit and soul, and Jayme Lawson ('The Batman' mayor) and Omar Miller ('Ballers') offer even more depth. Just like characters of Li Jun Li (with grace) and Yao (good enough to go by one name, and Ming's too), and a pivotal moment where the widescreen is left behind for your inspired IMAX. There's room for a couple of legends, too. Delroy Lindo continues his 'Da 5 Bloods' and 'The Harder They Fall' hot-streak. But we won't spoil the show when it comes to blues legend Buddy Guy. Let's just say it's time to get your teeth into all of that. It'd be a sin to miss this. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'Fruitvale Station', 'Creed', 'Black Panther'.