Twin brothers return to 1932 Mississippi to open a juke joint. They hire a guitar playing cousin, Sammie, and friends to help them open. Their past loves find them changed men. The juke joint opens and Sammie plays his guitar, the music draws the attention of something evil. A blood thirsty evil that can only enter if invited.
This film is tightly paced, not wasting a moment of its time on unnecessary details, but not once does the movie feel rushed. It spends the first act setting up the complex relationships surrounding Smoke and Stack, the twins expertly played by Michael B. Jordan, and the underlying supernatural elements but does not give a hint of what horrors lie ahead. It’s patient that way.
The second act brings these people together for a night of music, soul food, and dancing – at least until the vampires arrive and turn the night into something terrifying. This is also 1932 segregated Mississippi, so when three white people (vampires) show up to the party and request entry, Smoke and Stack are less than trusting for obvious reasons. Stack’s love interest, Mary who is mixed race but mostly white (Hailee Steinfeld), tries to talk to these people outside and is let back into the juke joint without a thought for the people inside trust her. Perhaps they should have paid attention to her time outside. This turn of events foreshadows two events later in the movie that I won’t spoil here, and it’s some subtle commentary on the racism that still exists in our society today.
The third act is about the choices people make in the most dire of circumstances. About who we choose to be when facing certain death. The imagery Coogler gives us is thrilling and memorable. And it has one of the most audacious post credit scenes in its length alone for he rolls the credits before his supernatural movie about vampires is truly over, and offers up one final choice for Sammie to make.
I’ll be thinking about this one for a while. Easily one of the best movies this year, and one of the best vampire movies ever. The cast is perfect. The music. The cinematography. The amount of gore. The story. Perfect. All of it.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
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Becky Tyler Art and Photography 
Twin brothers return to 1932 Mississippi to open a juke joint. They hire a guitar playing cousin, Sammie, and friends to help them open. Their past loves find them changed men. The juke joint opens and Sammie plays his guitar, the music draws the attention of something evil. A blood thirsty evil that can only enter if invited.
This film is tightly paced, not wasting a moment of its time on unnecessary details, but not once does the movie feel rushed. It spends the first act setting up the complex relationships surrounding Smoke and Stack, the twins expertly played by Michael B. Jordan, and the underlying supernatural elements but does not give a hint of what horrors lie ahead. It’s patient that way.
The second act brings these people together for a night of music, soul food, and dancing – at least until the vampires arrive and turn the night into something terrifying. This is also 1932 segregated Mississippi, so when three white people (vampires) show up to the party and request entry, Smoke and Stack are less than trusting for obvious reasons. Stack’s love interest, Mary who is mixed race but mostly white (Hailee Steinfeld), tries to talk to these people outside and is let back into the juke joint without a thought for the people inside trust her. Perhaps they should have paid attention to her time outside. This turn of events foreshadows two events later in the movie that I won’t spoil here, and it’s some subtle commentary on the racism that still exists in our society today.
The third act is about the choices people make in the most dire of circumstances. About who we choose to be when facing certain death. The imagery Coogler gives us is thrilling and memorable. And it has one of the most audacious post credit scenes in its length alone for he rolls the credits before his supernatural movie about vampires is truly over, and offers up one final choice for Sammie to make.
I’ll be thinking about this one for a while. Easily one of the best movies this year, and one of the best vampire movies ever. The cast is perfect. The music. The cinematography. The amount of gore. The story. Perfect. All of it.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
Discover more from Becky Tyler Art and Photography
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
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