Sinners: How pagan spirituality overthrows organized religion in Ryan Coogler's new vampire movie

Sinners is more than just a horror movie. It goes way beyond what it promises. The horror is a part of it. But what really drives the plot is the exploration of Black history and related themes. This genre-defying experience forces us to look at music in a new and different way. There are undercurrents of power and resistance too.

Ryan Coogler has done it again. This time he mixes race with goth and gives us a haunting experience that lasts well after the movie ends. It is set against the backdrop of 1930s Mississippi and almost always touches upon Black American history. It challenges traditional religious narratives and displays pagan spirituality as a force against both supernatural and systemic evils.

You might be disappointed if you are looking to find the usual tools of Christian faith in this movie. There are no crosses or holy water involved. But you will find a whole lot of garlic. It's the ancestral knowledge and rituals rooted in paganism that offer protection.

Let's know a bit more.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's opinions. Reader discretion is advised.

Sinners: Annie saves the day

One of the most striking characters in Sinners is Annie. She has ancestral wisdom passed on to her that she proudly carries. She is a healer and practices Hoodoo.

We know she's spiritual from the moment we meet her. We first see her surrounded by children who seem to be buying something from her, hinting at her role as a healer or spiritual guide in the community. Her home has symbols of protection and spiritual power. This tells us that she's someone who keeps old traditions alive.

She also gives Smoke a small bag to wear around his neck, believing that it would protect him. All of this could probably be rooted in traditional African protective rituals.

Annie plays a key role when the vampires attack the juke joint in Sinners. She knows how to fight them. She is the one who asks everyone trapped in the juke joint to get ready with garlic, wooden stakes, and silver to fight the vampires. She understands their weakness, and it's because of her ancestral knowledge. That’s a strong message from the film. It doesn’t depend on traditional Christian symbols to ward off evil.

There is, in fact, a church in the movie. And Sammy is nicknamed "Preacher Boy" in Sinners. Yet, none of the usual religious tools like the cross or holy water are shown. We only see the old and inherited spiritual knowledge that protects them.

Sinners: Ancestral wisdom vs. institutional faith

The vampires, especially Remmick, symbolize something much deeper. He is like a haunting metaphor for historical oppression. The juke joint is supposed to be a place full of music, joy, and culture. Remmick trying to disrupt the party feels like an invasion of something sacred.

This reflects the way Black communities, especially during the Jim Crow era, had their joy and culture constantly under threat. Remmick tries to convince people to join him and to become like him. And that sort of echoes forced assimilation. They want to turn the vibrant and living people into lifeless versions of themselves.

There’s a moment toward the end of the film that really stands out. Remmick finally has Sammy, aka the Preacher Boy. He begins to pray aloud and hopes that it will drive the vampire away. But the vampires actually join in instead of recoiling. They repeat the prayer together, and Remmick even tells him that these prayers bring them comfort.

Evil in Sinners doesn’t fear these prayers. Then Remmick holds Sammy’s head and submerges him underwater. And that act that feels like a reverse baptism. It’s symbolic and almost like corrupting a sacred ritual and turning it into something dark and twisted.

There’s also a powerful personal story happening with Sammy. His father always wanted him to become a preacher and follow the church path. But he rejected his interest in music. Sammy makes his choice by the end of the movie.

He doesn’t go the way his father wanted. He embraces music in Sinners and chooses to honor where he truly comes from rather than conforming to the expectations of modern organized religion.

Sinners is a story about reclaiming identity and about choosing the old ways over what’s been forced on you. Through Annie, through Sammy, and through every beat of the blues, Ryan Coogler reminds us that there’s power in heritage and that sometimes, the oldest knowledge is the one that saves you.

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