Ryan Coogler’s Sinners Premieres with Unflinching Symbolism and Cultural Reckoning
- kaelynnwilkesss
- Apr 21
- 4 min read
1. “Money is the Root of All Evil”
The film critiques the intoxicating lure of wealth and power. Stack and Smoke flaunt money like it's infinite, a visual motif that underscores how easily prosperity can blind and corrupt. Even the Klansman Smoke kills believes his fortune can shield him from death—yet in the end, money proves meaningless in the face of mortality.
2. The Demonization of African Religions
Annie, a Hoodoo practitioner and healer, blesses a mojo pouch that seemingly protects the protagonists. But when Stacks turns, he warns Smoke, “Don’t listen to that witch.” The use of "witch"—a term long used to demonize non-Christian belief systems—highlights how African Americans often internalize colonialist frameworks, vilifying their own ancestral spirituality.
3. The Erasure of Native Americans
Early in the film, Native characters issue a chilling warning to Joan about Remmick. They are never seen or mentioned again—a conscious choice that mirrors their marginalization and erasure in American history, reduced to mystical tropes or forgotten entirely.
4. The Colonization of Ireland
Remmick’s monologue in the water unearths parallels between Ireland's colonization and the African American experience. His people, too, were sold lies by empire and religion—suggesting shared trauma and a global legacy of colonization that transcends borders.
5. The Role of Asian-American Economies in Segregated Spaces
Grace and her husband run two shops—one on the Black side of the street, another on the White side. This dual presence comments on the economic liminality of Asian-American communities during segregation. Grace, who ultimately invites the vampires into the shack, becomes a metaphor for how non-Black minorities can act as unwitting gatekeepers of harm—while Black communities bear the brunt of those consequences.
6. Black Influence on Music
One of the film’s most visually stunning scenes pays homage to generations of Black musicians. It’s a poignant reminder that Black artistry not only shapes culture but defies time, genre, and even mortality.
7. White Passing and “Imitation of Life”
Mary, a white-passing Black woman from Mississippi, lives in constant fear of being exposed. Her relationship with Stacks is fraught with tension—he loves her, but her safety in a white world comes at the cost of her true identity. Even vampires and racists mistake her for white, illustrating how passing can be both protection and erasure.
8. The Three Crows and the Rattlesnake
Three crows, symbolic of death, appear ominously above Joan’s house and again at the sawmill. The rattlesnake in the liquor truck—long a symbol of danger—warns of the destruction looming at the Juke Joint. These symbols weave in folkloric warning systems that feel both ancestral and ever-present.
9. Irish vs. Italian Mob Wars
The twins manipulate the Irish and Italian mobs into warring, all while escaping with their fortune. A clever nod to historical feuds and the art of turning oppressors against one another.
10. The Illusion of “Good” vs. “Evil”
Despite being labeled villains, Smoke and Stack are the moral center of the story. They pay fair wages, create jobs, and care for their community—an intentional subversion of what society deems “good” or “evil.”
11. The Undervaluing of Black Labor
A small but powerful moment: Smoke offers a young girl ten cents a minute to watch his car. She accepts without hesitation, and he scolds her for not negotiating. This is a direct commentary on how Black communities have been conditioned to undervalue their labor and settle for less.
12. The Parable of the “Drunken Fool”
Delta Slim, the neighborhood drunk, often speaks truths no one listens to—echoing a long-standing trope of the madman or drunk as prophetic. It reminds us that truth is often ignored when it comes from the mouths society deems least worthy.
13. The Plight of Black Business Owners
Smoke and Stack accept plantation coins and partial payments—another sharp observation of how Black businesses are pressured to serve their own for less, often in the name of solidarity, even when it comes at great personal cost.
14. Freedom as a Rigged Game
In the climactic twist, Remmick reveals that the Klan orchestrated the entire setup. The sawmill—a literal slaughterhouse—symbolizes the lie of Black freedom. Even when you play by the rules, the system has already chosen your end.
15. Remmick as a Modern Colonizer: The Entitlement of the Culture Vulture
Remmick’s character doesn’t just represent an ancient evil—he also symbolizes the modern colonizer cloaked in fascination and entitlement. In a pivotal scene, Remmick lurks outside the Juke Joint, an all-Black communal space pulsing with life, rhythm, and sacred energy. He watches longingly from the shadows, visibly affected by the vibrations of the music and the joy within.
When denied entry, his frustration is palpable. He asks, “Why can she go in and I can’t?” referring to Mary—whom he assumes is white. His question isn’t about safety or permission; it’s about entitlement. He feels owed access to something that was never his, simply because he wants it.
This is a masterful metaphor for cultural appropriation: Remmick doesn’t seek to understand the space or its people—he wants to consume their essence, their magic, their stories, without invitation or accountability. His character represents how colonization has evolved: no longer through ships and shackles, but through co-opting cultures, profiting from aesthetics, and demanding entry into sacred spaces built for healing and resistance.
Final Thoughts: Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is not just a movie—it’s a masterwork of subtext, genre-mixing, and historical reclamation. Every frame demands a second look, every line a deeper read. It’s a meditation on the soul of America, wrapped in horror, folklore, and poetic justice.