For the longest time, Sinners, directed by Black Panther’s Ryan Coogler, remained a complete mystery. Until the first trailer came out, the movie’s premise and even its title were unclear. Like the movie itself, the lead-up to Sinners was shrouded in secrets, but it was all worth it. After seeing this movie, I can confidently say Sinners is destined to become one of the films that will define 2025. Not only is it a near-perfect movie, but it’s a rare original feature that must be seen on the biggest screen possible.

Set in the Deep South in 1932, Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan in a dual role as Elijah and Elias Moore, known as Smoke and Stack, respectively. After serving in World War I and working as fixers for Al Capone, the twin brothers return to their hometown with cash, beer, and the goal of opening their own barrelhouse. To help organize a night for the ages, they recruit old associates — including their cousin Sammie, whose music has the ability to pierce the veils of time and space. Unfortunately, this power attracts the attention of Remmick, an Irish vampire played by Jack O’Connell, who sets his sights on the barrelhouse and begins turning its patrons into vampires as well. It comes down to Elijah and Elias to protect their friends and patrons and stop Remmick from acquiring Sammie’s power.

There are many aspects that fit together to make this movie as amazing as it is, but the greatest one is its soundtrack. Composer Ludwig Göransson delivers a pulse-pounding, tense score full of heart and soul. Since the blues are so central to the plot, the sounds of traditional blues music permeate every scene, becoming more relaxed or tense depending on the situation. The best scene in the movie is undoubtedly Sammie’s blues performance, which is shot as a continuous long-take panning through the barrelhouse as he summons musicians and dancers from the past and future to this moment. The two other musical numbers are also fantastic: Jayme Lawson’s character, Pearline, performs a foot-stomping number that serves as the final moment of brevity before everything goes to a metaphorical hell, and Remmick’s Irish jig is as good as it is completely unnatural.

This movie is also incredibly well-cast, with each actor fitting perfectly into the larger puzzle of the film. Jordan plays two very different characters in Smoke and Stack. The movie starts with a focus on Stack. As it continues onward, it slowly shifts its attention to Smoke, who becomes the main character by the end. Hailee Steinfeld is delightful as Mary, playing Stack’s  mysterious ex-lover, a type of role she is not typically cast in. Jack O’Connell truly steals the show as the evil vampire Remmick. He brings such charisma and confidence to the character that the audience hangs onto every word he says. Finally, Miles Canton and Delroy Lindo are both fantastic as Sammie and Delta Slim, two blues musicians who complement each other perfectly. Sammie is more timid as he comes into his own and finds his voice despite his clear love for music, while Delta Slim is confident and defiant, determined to protect their bright young talent even in the face of the living death surrounding them. In a standout scene, Delta Slim spits in the face of the vampire menace, promising that he won’t let anyone hurt Sammie over Remmick’s cold, undead body.

The final aspect that makes the movie so captivating is the pacing. With a slow start, it introduces us to the characters and gets us to care about each one of them before the vampires begin to attack. As characters begin to fall and rise again as the enemy, it doesn’t feel like they’re being killed off without reason; rather, it is to introduce new complications for the remaining characters, as they now have to fight undead versions of their closest friends and family. A great choice made by Coogler is the concept of vampires remaining a mystery to the characters — thus delivering moments of incredible tension when each character makes a mistake. However, once they figure out how to fight them, the entire movie moves along at the perfect pace. Events occur quickly enough to keep the audience entertained but spaced out enough to keep the tension of the situation alive and well.

Sinners is one of the best films I have seen this year. Everyone should make an effort to go see this on the as soon as possible. With great characters, amazing tension, and a fantastic score, this is the kind of original movie that audiences have been waiting for. You don’t need any background knowledge or previous viewing of other movies and TV shows in some great universe; all you need to enjoy Sinners is a love for a great story.