From the tragic “Fruitvale Station” to the boxing fights of “Creed” turned in sequences, including “Black Panther”, one of the best Marvel on date, Ryan Coogler has become an essential filmmaker. Logically, his “sinners” which attacks the vampire film creates the hype…. And does not disappoint, as the blockbuster, carried by its favorite actor, Michael B. Jordan, strips, entertains and shows himself highly political.
Most of the action takes place in a “joint juke”, a sort of saloon formerly popular in African-American culture, in which two brothers who had worked for Al Capone organize a party. It was then that strange white visitors burst out and try to obtain the agreement of the masters of the premises to enter the establishment, before running around by pushing songs hoping to attract the attention of guests. The start of a nightmarish night.
In form and substance, the result could be defined as a meeting between Jordan Peele (“Get Out”) for the committed side, with here a recall of the horrors committed by the Ku Klux Klan. Added to this are delicious references to John Carpenter (“vampires”, but not only), Sam Peckinpah and even to the “incorruptible” by Brian de Palma, when the whole is eyeing the side of gangster films.
“Sinners” has this ability to deliver a hard -hitting discourse on racism and oppression of peoples
“Defain labels”
A brewing of the genres to which the filmmaker returns: “By studying the Delta Blues, I discovered that this musical style is fundamental for popular music as we know it today. The concept of gender is a construction of that time. With the marketing of music via recordings, industry, deeply marked by racism, imposed arbitrary classifications. This was reflected in this industry: the same song, interpreted by a black or white person, was classified in different genres, even if the instrumentation was identical. Cinematographic art, although more recent, inherited these reflexes. We categorize films by genres: a vampire is enough to make a film a ” Horror film ”, without nuance. With this film, I wanted to challenge these labels. »»
The narrative structure tightened over 24 hours allowed him to explore this idea. “A day can be full of contradictions, start beautifully and finish tragically. This helped me create fluid chapters, reflecting this freedom, to offer a more accessible experience. We go from one moment to the next, as in life, without rigid barriers, ”he continues.
An explosive mix, enriched by virtuoso musical passages, captured by a floating camera and in a voodoo spirit … funny and bloody, “sinners” has this ability to deliver a hard -hitting discourse on racism and oppression of peoples, with characters in search of freedom. The most striking being those embodied by Michael B. Jordan who, in a double role, again makes sparks.
Cédric Coppola
“Sinners”, by Ryan Coogler. With Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton. Duration: 2:17 am in theaters this Wednesday, April 16.
