Let me start by saying this clearly: Sinners is a good film. I enjoyed it. I’m glad I watched it. There’s a lot to admire in terms of craft, performances, and ambition. But do I think it deserves the level of hype it’s currently getting? Do I think it deserves multiple Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director?

Honestly… no. And that’s what I want to unpack here.

A Strong Setup With an Interesting Turn

Sinners is set in 1930s Mississippi and follows two brothers who return to their hometown hoping to start fresh by opening a juke joint. For a good chunk of its first half (apart from the first few minutes), it plays like a grounded period drama, focused on community, relationships, and the weight of past choices.

It’s engrossing and I really liked the world building, I was intrigued what was going to happen next with these well built characters.

Then, partway through, the film takes a sharp turn. There’s a major twist that shifts the tone and genre in a big way. I managed to avoid spoilers going in, and I’m very glad I did, because the change genuinely surprised me. I recommend you try to as well, although I’m sure by this point it’ll have been hard to avoid.

The transition from a grounded period piece into something much darker and stranger is bold, and it’s one of the film’s biggest talking points. Did it do it well? For my part yes because I was not expecting it. For those of you who may have heard about the twist, it’s very much set up in a way as if you don’t know what’s coming which may cause some frustration if you’re expecting a different movie.

Ryan Coogler’s Direction: Visually Impressive

Ryan Coogler is a great director. That much is undeniable and it’s certainly time for it to be recognised after being largely ignored. His previous stand out works Black Pather, is one of the most ground breaking films in the super hero genre in the last 20 years, and he was also able to reunite audiences with a fresh take on boxing in the Creed series.

Visually, Sinners is striking. There’s a lot of careful composition, strong lighting, and a noticeable effort to make the film feel distinct. One particularly interesting creative choice is the use of different aspect ratios depending on the type of scene something that adds subtle visual language to the storytelling. It’s thoughtful, ambitious, and technically impressive.

A huge amount of the movie is dark though, so make sure you don’t have your contrast up too high on your TV at home.

A Standout Scene: The Juke Joint Sequence

The highlight of the entire film for me is the extended juke joint sequence.

In this scene, the movie explores the evolution of music, starting with sounds rooted in the period and gradually moving through styles that echo forward toward modern music. It’s energetic, creative, and thematically rich. This sequence is where everything clicks: the visuals, the performances, the music, the atmosphere.

It’s immersive, exciting, and genuinely memorable. It’s also the moment I think of most when I think back about the movie. This only lasts 5 minutes though and there is my problem, the rest of the movie, particularly the second half is rather generic.

Musically Brilliant

One other plus though is the soundtrack, Sinners has a fantastic soundtrack. One of the breakout performers in the film is a musician who feels newly discovered, and his presence adds a huge amount of authenticity and energy to the music-driven scenes. Watching him perform inside the juke joint genuinely made me feel like I was in that space with the characters.

In addition though, Coogler brings his long time partner Ludwig Göransson who demonstrates his considerable music chops here by finding a way to make you jump right into the 1930’s with a breath taking score. On a sensory level, sound, rhythm, mood the film is often excellent.

Where It Falls Short (For Me)

Despite all of the above, I wouldn’t call Sinners incredible though.

Outside of the standout juke joint sequence and the major twist, I didn’t find the film consistently gripping in a way that elevates it above other genre entries. A lot of what it’s doing particularly in its darker second half reminded me strongly of shows like The Haunting of Hill House.

That’s not a criticism in itself. I like that style of storytelling. But it also means that much of the film feels familiar rather than groundbreaking. Good? Yes. Exceptional? Not for me.

The Oscar Question

Sinners has received a huge amount of awards attention, including Best Picture and Best Director conversations. That’s ultimately what prompted me to write this.

I do think part of this awards push may be connected to the film’s racial undertones and thematic commentary. Those elements are important, valid, and absolutely worth discussing. And it’s good that films tackling these themes are getting visibility.

However, even acknowledging that, I’m not convinced the film itself stands out enough, on a purely cinematic level, to justify being placed among the very best films of the year.

It feels comparable to other solid, well-made genre films I’ve seen before, not a clear leap beyond them.

Who Will Enjoy Sinners?

If you enjoy:

• Moody, atmospheric storytelling
• Slow-burn tension
• Genre-blending narratives
• Shows like The Haunting of Hill House

Then Sinners is very much worth checking out. If that style doesn’t appeal to you, I suspect this film may not win you over.

Sinners is a good film. It’s well-directed, well-acted, visually stylish, and occasionally brilliant  especially in its music-driven sequences. But for me, it’s not the masterpiece some reactions suggest.

It’s a solid, sometimes excellent genre film with a standout scene and an effective twist — not a Best Picture-level phenomenon.

Worth watching. Worth discussing.

Just… not quite that good.