Pecadores

First of all: this is not a horrible movie, but it sure as hell isn't what the ratings make it out to be. It's sort of like From Dusk Till Dawn, but then with a predictable and not so good second half. And, as is the problem with a lot of movies these days: it's about an hour too long.

I really liked the first half. Up until the scene wherein Sammy makes music at the Juke Joint, which seems wildly out of place to me. It wasn't funny, smart and totally unnecessary in my opinion. Everything after that was cliche, full of the standard horror tropes and just not that good in my opinion. The acting is pretty good, the imagery is beautiful, but all in all it really falls short as a horror movie and overstays its welcome by a long shot.

Sinners impresses early with its stunning cinematography and solid performances. The film sets a moody, atmospheric tone and builds tension with a deliberate, slow-burn approach that hints at something truly impactful. Unfortunately, that promise is never fulfilled. When the vampires finally appear, the film takes a sharp downturn. Their behavior is nonsensical, lacking any real menace or intelligence, and they end up feeling more like a parody than a threat. It's a baffling creative choice that undermines everything the first half works so hard to build. Despite its strong technical elements, the film stumbles badly at the finish line. A stylish misfire-watchable, but disappointing. 6 out of 10.

Went to see this because I like vampire movies, and Tom Cruise endorsed it. Never saw him endorsing any movies so I got more curious.

Production, costume, make up, visuals are very good.

Story is meh. Standard vampire look and behavior. Another movie implying some faith doesn't work in fighting demons but a voodoo mojo does, nothing new there.

I dislike musicals so its musical parts added nothing for me. The past and future music evoked could have been more abstract, but they were real people in different eras costumes mingling in, kinda ruined the believability of the 1930s vibe for me. Looked like a silly company dinner and dance instead.

Can totally see certain demographic overhyping this. Again, nothing new.

An okay watch overall, fun at times.

Don't buy into the hype. Sinners is a slightly above average film that has been blown massively out of proportion. Its current rating of an 8.1/10 is absurdly high. It's not THAT good.

I'll start with the positives. First of all, I thought the acting was absolutely amazing. It was a really fantastic performance from the entire cast. I also thought the music was great; l'm not typically much of a blues guy, but l enjoyed what I heard.

As for the negatives, the biggest problem I had is that the film accomplished nothing. It finished and I was just like.....ok? What am I to make of this? It's categorized as Drama and Supernatural Horror, and while it is technically both of those, I wasn't impressed in either area. Suspense--a major part of both of those genres--was basically nonexistent. The 'normal' part of the plot (the stuff without the supernatural junk) was actually solid. It had a nice little twist in it, which the ending went back on. I just wish there was more of that.

Overall, it wasn't a bad movie, but it's not one I'd recommend. The best way to sum it up is this: it's a dime a dozen horror flick that's made watchable by a really good cast and great cinematography.

Final score of 6/10.

It feels like The Sinners was directed by two different Cooglers-one responsible for the first half, and another for the second. If I had to rate them separately: the first half is a solid 8, the second a disappointing 4.

The film starts off brilliantly. Set in the Deep South during the 1930s, it plunges us into a world of chain gangs, overt racism, and raw human struggle-all wrapped in the soul of music. The characters are distinctive and memorable, the performances are top-notch, and the world-building is rich and atmospheric. It's a western, a drama, and a musical all at once, and somehow it works. For a while.

Then comes the second half.

This is where things fall apart. The pivot to horror-specifically vampires-feels abrupt and half-hearted. There's barely a story holding it together, and the horror/action sequences barely last 10-15 minutes. They lack any real suspense or memorable set pieces. The execution feels rushed and undercooked, especially after such a powerful setup.

The final 5-7 minutes attempt a bold anti-Klan message, and it's likely this moment of violence and symbolism that won over many critics. But for me, it was too little, too late.

What's most frustrating is the wasted potential. This could've been a truly unique vampire film-rooted in history, rich in theme, driven by character and song. Instead, it leaves you wondering what could've been if the second half had lived up to the promise of the first.