Bram Stoker’s groundbreaking Dracula novel from 1897 kicked open the doors for a subgenre that has gone from strength to strength over the last century. However, as broader concepts of Gothic horror and creative ideas have saturated this genre over the previous few decades, filmmakers have been tasked with crafting innovative spins on the original, successful concept of vampire fiction.

Vampire fiction and Dracula have crossed over into the mainstream to such an extent that it is one of the most lauded pieces of 19th-century fiction. It spawned several spin-off ideas — ranging from novels to casino slot games — which have proven to be popular with a specific niche of the casino gaming world.

The fact that online pokies developers have taken a stab at this genre shows just how influential and widespread the popularity of this genre has become throughout popular culture.

Although slot gaming companies have continued finding ways to fuse this idea and genre with different gaming mechanics, the world of film has faced a different challenge. How can they remodel a concept that is over 120 years old and resell it to a modern audience? Did Sinners get it right?

Sinners: A Fresh Twist on An Old Classic

Sinners is a film that incorporates multiple unique ideas, ranging from Irish folklore and African American history from the early 20th century to the talents of Michael B. Jordan and one of the most revered musicians, who pens the soundtrack. It has numerous moving parts, and often a film with so many spinning plates has the potential to fall flat.

While the idea is fresh, and the fusion of different folklore and ideas has drawn acclaim from some reviewers, others believe that the supernatural element was unnecessary and didn’t significantly contribute to the overarching story. The movie has a tremendously well-done scene about midway through, which critics and fans alike have praised. The sequence is an evolving musical scene with many layers and some incredibly creative ideas.

A film this ambitious was always going to have its detractors, but it’s a challenge to fault the ambition. Yes, the execution of the idea and the overall story might feel a tad gimmicky at times, but given the film branches into horror, period drama, and a Deep South setting, there’s a lot to unpack. It’s absolutely a fresh twist on a genre that has been saturated over recent years.

Branching Into Other Genres

There are countless films in the past that have attempted to merge genres and fallen painfully short. Ryan Coogler is one of the most exciting young writers and directors in Hollywood, and the fact that he was given carte blanche to create a vampire-themed film of his own design immediately grabbed headlines long before the film even went into production.

His success with both Black Panther and Black Panther 2 shows he has the directing chops to translate ambitious ideas to the big screen, and Sinners certainly delivered for many horror fans this year.

The last 18 months have seen a string of retro film ideas re-released as multi-million-dollar flicks:

• Jurassic World
• The Fantastic Four
• Superman
• Snow White

These titles are as old as time, and they have all managed to find success. Bram Stoker’s classic predates all of these apart from Snow White, so the re-imagining of the idea was a welcome twist from Coogler.

Several reviewers have noted that the individual parts of this film are greater than the sum of its parts. The cinematography and soundtrack are top-notch, and the concept and ambition are on par with any of the big blockbuster films we’ve seen since the beginning of this decade. Michael B. Jordan does a great job, and the inclusion of blues legend Buddy Guy is a great homage to the somewhat satanic, dark connotations often associated with Delta Blues music.

Bringing in an A-lister was essential to appeal to a younger audience. But, Coogler clearly spent a considerable amount of time developing this idea, drawing influence from Irish history, the Delta, and Bram Stoker’s classic to craft an idea that resonated with a modern audience.

Final thoughts

It’d be a stretch to say Sinners will have the same cultural impact as the seminal Stoker classic, but that is not the intention. Coogler’s goal is to introduce a new generation to a wealth of historically important concepts:

• the integral blues music of the Mississippi Delta, which has shaped rock music for the last 100 years
• the struggles of African Americans during that period
• the struggles faced by other marginalized groups, such as Irish immigrants.

It prompts people to think about ideas that are not typically associated with supernatural or gothic themes. Although some critics claim the film attempts too much within the vampire genre and loses sight of traditional vampire stories, it is far from boring. It is highly inventive, and while it may not appeal to everyone, its box office success clearly reflects the ambition and creativity invested in it.