I think you can absolutely engage with a movie on whatever level you choose. And some people will go to SINNERS just looking for a rip-roaring vampire movie and they'll be extremely satisfied (the movie's a massive hit).
And I think while Ryan Coogler continues to prove he can make movies that are supremely entertaining, he's also an author discontent to leave his films on the surface. All of his films bring up the idea of being Black in America, and particularly what Black masculinity looks like. I think here he goes even deeper, and explores issues of power that have fueled white supremacy, and you can't deal with that without looking at the church's complicity.
Again, none of that is essential to enjoying SINNERS. It's a highly entertaining movie on its own. I think digging into these themes, though, makes it even more enjoyable.
My initial reaction to saying the film is anti-Christian is like saying it's anti-white because it had racist white people in it. To me it presented the situation regarding African-Americans and Christianity as it has existed in this country. I'm saying this without have read the anti-Christian criticism. I'm also grappling questions regarding religion. I'm primed to see it as anti-Christian I think and I don't see it.
I could be wrong. I tend to agree with your analysis of the movie regarding religion. Like you upon repeated viewing views may change.
I don’t know if you stayed for the second post credits scene, but it’s a little clip of young Sammie playing This Little Light of Mine while sitting in the church, and then (at least, it’s how it read to me) glancing reverently upward. Just an interesting bookend which might imply Coogler isn’t as down on all of it as some might claim.
I did! I considered including it, but I was running long. I'm not entirely sure how it fits, but I do agree that I think there's a hint that there's more to this theme than people give it credit for. I also am thinking more about how the film handles issues of appropriation...and it's probably worth a note that American Christianity -- and probably further, going back to European Christianity -- in many ways appropriated a Middle Eastern religion and often ignored the work of theologians of color.
This is such a good take. The movie seems to be clearly about how Christianity has been used by the white community to disempower the black community in order to subjugate them.
The way the vampires tried to convince the people in the juke joint to convert and joint them was exactly like how some Christians evangelize ("we'll give you love, fellowship, unity, and eternal life").
If you accept the vampires' call, you lose your true identity as a member of the black community (you stop singing the blues and you start singing Irish folk songs). If you accept the Christians' call, same thing - you stop singing the blues and you start singing church hymns from white europeans.
If you accept the vampires into your heart, you lose your freedom to live half the day. If you accept the Christians into your heart, you lose your freedom to live an independent life with your own identity and instead work in near slave conditions as a sharecropper on a white man's farm.
And just in case the parallel wasn't clear enough, the vampire conversion attempt ended with the leader of the group trying to baptize Sammi in the river as a member of their flock.
It isn't a comment on Christianity as a whole, I don't think, just on the corrupt way it has been used as a tool to subjugate the black community in America. You're the first person I've seen who recognized that so clearly.
Pretty much everything you mentioned helps support Lecraes claim of the movie being anti Christian. I am not at all surprised by the theme or messaging in this movie. And yes I see the church hurt . And by the way, Satan knows the Bible he just twists its meaning just like white supremacist have done for years. It's not Chrstainity that's a problem.its PEOPLES misuse of it.
I finally saw it today (took myself for Father's Day) and while I'm not sure where I fall on it this is a really interesting examination of some of the themes of the movie. I had intended to come back and read this after I saw it and I just wanted to let you know that I'm glad I did!
Is no one going to quote Whistler from Blade? “Crosses don’t do squat” 🤪
Can a movie just be a movie?! Seriously...
I think you can absolutely engage with a movie on whatever level you choose. And some people will go to SINNERS just looking for a rip-roaring vampire movie and they'll be extremely satisfied (the movie's a massive hit).
And I think while Ryan Coogler continues to prove he can make movies that are supremely entertaining, he's also an author discontent to leave his films on the surface. All of his films bring up the idea of being Black in America, and particularly what Black masculinity looks like. I think here he goes even deeper, and explores issues of power that have fueled white supremacy, and you can't deal with that without looking at the church's complicity.
Again, none of that is essential to enjoying SINNERS. It's a highly entertaining movie on its own. I think digging into these themes, though, makes it even more enjoyable.
My initial reaction to saying the film is anti-Christian is like saying it's anti-white because it had racist white people in it. To me it presented the situation regarding African-Americans and Christianity as it has existed in this country. I'm saying this without have read the anti-Christian criticism. I'm also grappling questions regarding religion. I'm primed to see it as anti-Christian I think and I don't see it.
I could be wrong. I tend to agree with your analysis of the movie regarding religion. Like you upon repeated viewing views may change.
I don’t know if you stayed for the second post credits scene, but it’s a little clip of young Sammie playing This Little Light of Mine while sitting in the church, and then (at least, it’s how it read to me) glancing reverently upward. Just an interesting bookend which might imply Coogler isn’t as down on all of it as some might claim.
I did! I considered including it, but I was running long. I'm not entirely sure how it fits, but I do agree that I think there's a hint that there's more to this theme than people give it credit for. I also am thinking more about how the film handles issues of appropriation...and it's probably worth a note that American Christianity -- and probably further, going back to European Christianity -- in many ways appropriated a Middle Eastern religion and often ignored the work of theologians of color.
Don't know. Don't care. I just love this movie.
This is such a good take. The movie seems to be clearly about how Christianity has been used by the white community to disempower the black community in order to subjugate them.
The way the vampires tried to convince the people in the juke joint to convert and joint them was exactly like how some Christians evangelize ("we'll give you love, fellowship, unity, and eternal life").
If you accept the vampires' call, you lose your true identity as a member of the black community (you stop singing the blues and you start singing Irish folk songs). If you accept the Christians' call, same thing - you stop singing the blues and you start singing church hymns from white europeans.
If you accept the vampires into your heart, you lose your freedom to live half the day. If you accept the Christians into your heart, you lose your freedom to live an independent life with your own identity and instead work in near slave conditions as a sharecropper on a white man's farm.
And just in case the parallel wasn't clear enough, the vampire conversion attempt ended with the leader of the group trying to baptize Sammi in the river as a member of their flock.
It isn't a comment on Christianity as a whole, I don't think, just on the corrupt way it has been used as a tool to subjugate the black community in America. You're the first person I've seen who recognized that so clearly.
Pretty much everything you mentioned helps support Lecraes claim of the movie being anti Christian. I am not at all surprised by the theme or messaging in this movie. And yes I see the church hurt . And by the way, Satan knows the Bible he just twists its meaning just like white supremacist have done for years. It's not Chrstainity that's a problem.its PEOPLES misuse of it.
I finally saw it today (took myself for Father's Day) and while I'm not sure where I fall on it this is a really interesting examination of some of the themes of the movie. I had intended to come back and read this after I saw it and I just wanted to let you know that I'm glad I did!