Rooted in the history of Black community, here are 6 things that set Sinners apart from other vampire movies

In 2025, Ryan Coogler produced, wrote, and directed the American period action horror movie Sinners. The film is a fresh take on the vampire genre since Coogler united horror elements of supernatural beings with vital historical elements, beyond traditional fear-based themes. In the movie, twin brothers Smoke and Stack clash with supernatural foes in a gripping battle. Their Southern American roots can be traced back to 1930s Mississippi.

The film is an earthbound, multi-layered story about personal identity, music, mysticism, and family relationships. Michael B. Jordan plays the roles of twin brothers, supported by a stellar cast, including Delroy Lindo and Hailee Steinfeld. However, the film's originality helped it to stand out as unique among cliché vampire movies. Let's look at the x-factors that let this movie stand out.

Disclaimer: This article is based on the writer's opinion. Reader discretion is advised.

---

The list of 6 unique features that set Sinners apart from other vampire movies:

6. Original Narrative

Sinners deviates significantly from Coogler's previous work by fusing historical themes, family legacy tales, and horror elements. The movie is about a Mississippi town in 1932 where twin brothers Smoke and Stack (played by Michael B. Jordan) attempt to open a juke joint while confronting mysterious supernatural forces threatening their family relationships and community stability.

Coogler blended real Southern American elements like race and cultural landscape with his own family ties. Cultural identification, musical history, and the paranormal aspects of blues music are the three primary subjects of this film. Many cinemaholics have praised Sinners due to its innovative storytelling and remarkable visual effects. Critics' consensus of Rotten Tomatoes praised this movie as,

"A rip-roaring fusion of masterful visual storytelling and toe-tapping music, writer-director Ryan Coogler's first original blockbuster reveals the full scope of his singular imagination."

The film deserves praise for its filmmaking techniques and the thought-provoking musical composition by Ludwig Göransson. Audiences on Rotten Tomatoes said the filmmaker has not only produced an unashamed Black genre blockbuster with a killer cast and a cranked-up score, but also a wonderfully violent vampire hit.

---

5. American Blues & Mysticism

In the film. Ryan Coogler presented American blues and Southern traditions instead of focusing on vampires. During his interview with Nerdist, Coogler said,

“The film deals with American music, blues music”

He continued,

“Hoodoo culture, Elegba, you know, all of these concepts and ideas.”

The director showed how strongly feelings were woven throughout the narrative. Coogler's masterful use of music, mysticism, and intimate family tradition results in a cinematic masterwork going beyond typical horror storytelling. His presentation brought attention to the diverse African-American spiritual heritage.

Ryan Coogler hired expert consultants who showed hoodoo practices because hoodoo originated from South African slavery traditions. The film's cultural traditions are its main foundation, even though the supernatural elements are its fictional component.

Ludwig Göransson produced the musical score for Black Panther that deeply resembles blues music. The blues enthusiast father of Göransson directed him to explore key blues locations, including B.B. King's club in Indianola, Mississippi. He created a musical score that perfectly encapsulated the era's spirit by actively participating in the sound development technique.

Coogler openly reveals his intimate relationship with the film production through his work. Delta blues have strong familial ties in the plot because Coogler was influenced by his late Uncle James's intense passion for the music. He reflects that the beginning of this idea emerged because of his relationship with James.

---

4. Scorsese-DiCaprio Vibes

Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler have collaborated on artistic ventures for several years after their first meeting. Their professional partnership started during Fruitvale Station (2013) because Coogler directed his debut film. Coogler gave Jordan his breakout performance as the lead actor, just like the Scorsese-DiCaprio partnership! After Fruitvale Station, the worked together in Creed, Black Panther, and Sinners.

Experts say their collaboration is comparable to Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese's creative partnership. Jordan received acclaim from Coogler for demonstrating exceptional talent combined with his intense drive to refine his skills.

Their working relationship extends past job duties because they respect each other and share the same artistic objectives. When Coogler first met Jordan, he knew he would become a major Hollywood actor. Since then, the actor's work has demonstrated that Coogler was correct.

---

3. Stunning Visuals

Ryan Coogler employs exceptional cinematic approaches to represent Sinners while displaying Mississippi's 1930s scenery in an impressive visual style. He used Ultra Panavision 70mm and IMAX 70mm film for the picture to display the wide and detailed visual quality. The director's use of IMAX and Ultra Panavision 70mm film produced stunning colors and rich shadows that gave each scene a lively, realistic appearance.

The film has earned positive comments regarding its visual presentation. Emma Kiely from Collider, praised Coogler for his skills on the field. Emma said,

"Coogler turns the Jim Crow era of the American South into a sprawling palette that feels anything but barren, and that every shot has a troubling undercurrent of a foreboding sense of doom."

Autumn Durald Arkapaw achieved a cinematography-milestone when she monitored the filming of a feature film using IMAX 70mm cinema technology. She joined forces with Coogler in his previous works too, and then teamed up with him on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

She also collaborated with experts who specialized in creating the perfect visual effect for Sinners by testing the film through a visual experience based on The Hateful Eight and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Arkapaw aims to inspire more women through her work so they will enter the field of cinematography. Sinners offers viewers a unique and captivating viewing experience by fusing historical context with supernatural elements.

---

2. Character Performances

Michael B. Jordan plays a massive part in a movie's success, and Sinners seems to have hit the jackpot due to its A-list performers. David Rooney (of The Hollywood Reporter) said,

“Michael B. Jordan throws himself into his dual roles as Smoke and Stack with authority, sly humor, and effortlessly masculine physicality.”

Coogler collaborated with Jordan on Creed and Black Panther. The filmmaker got Awards for two remarkable performances from his celebrity castings. Michael B. Jordan's dual role in Sinners received excellent supporting performances from his cast members.

Since Mary Steinfeld is a character who changes into a vampire, her representation adds dimension to the narrative. Jordan conceived that Steinfeld's performance was outstanding since he expressed that she deserves all the praise and acclaim. He said,

"Hailee's performance in 'Sinners' is very, very versatile and honestly fun... I think this is one of those roles that's gonna show Hailee in a new light."

Annie's (Wunmi Mosaku) character is vital to the main character's growth. The audience sees Mosaku in Lovecraft Country and His House. She brings deep emotional elements to this production. The young blues executive, Sammie Moore, brings supernatural musical powers to the story through the character's performance by Miles Caton.

In the film, Jack O'Connell plays the main villain with high intensity. Sinners' characters combine to explore themes of identity, heritage, and supernatural elements, resulting in a meaningful cinematic offering.

---

1. Authentic Portrayal of Twin Dynamics

Sinners distinguishes itself in the vampire film genre by showing a genuine depiction of twin relationships throughout the story. The film stands apart from ordinary dual-role performances by delivering a realistic portrayal of twin brothers Smoke and Stack rather than using visual effects with exaggerated differences. Director Ryan Coogler hired Logan and Noah Miller to explain the dual performance to Michael B. Jordan.

The audience understood the psychological impacts of shared identity and how it unites and burdens people by paying close attention to certain traits. People in various cultures, including communities in American southern states, see twins as spiritually important because they are thought to possess enhanced supernatural sensibilities.

Coogler allows the audience to view supernatural themes and horror aspects in ways that deviate from clichéd genre features by including this cultural dimension. The story develops around twin emotional and spiritual ties to introduce a new human-focused approach in vampire film storytelling.

---

It is concluded that Sinners pushed the horror genre forward by ensuring its story remained authentic and emotionally rooted to its cultural foundation. Beyond vampire genre conventions, the film presented viewers with Southern cultural elements, historical spiritual elements, and the psychological traits of twin existence.

Coogler's creative partnership with Jordan, talent for photography, and poignant soundtrack helped the film's narrative reach unprecedented heights. The film acted through a horror lens to study history and human connection alongside the characters' identities.