B-13 Peer Review: Sinners
"If you're going to tell a story rooted in Black struggle, do your homework."
"Oakland and Los Angeles are not just settings — they’re libraries of Black history. From the Panthers to Watts, from resistance to renaissance, there’s no excuse for superficial storytelling when that legacy is right there." ~ WillyBill
Coogler had the platform, the talent, and the opportunity — but the filmmaker chose theme over substance.
Oakland and Los Angeles as Black History Libraries:- Both cities have significant historical contributions to the Black experience, from the Black Panther Party’s roots in Oakland to the cultural movements in Los Angeles. These aren’t just settings — they are rich, complex histories.
- The overarching ideas were loud and clear, but what was missing was depth — the kind you get when you dig into the actual people, movements, and moments that shaped Black power and Black pain. Instead, it felt like it was made to impress the surface-level audience. A little too clean, a little too easy.
You don’t honor Black brilliance by dumbing it down.
- You do it by trusting that the audience can and will engage with complexity, history, and truth.
My critique is clear:
- Coogler’s Missed Opportunity: Coogler, known for his brilliance like his work with Black Panther, has the platform and the capability to tell deeper stories, but in Sinners, you felt the film oversimplified and didn’t take the time to dig into that history or the complexity of his characters.
- Too Much Theme, Not Enough Story: I must say, frustrated, because the film relied on broad, easy themes without diving into the intricate stories that truly reflect the spirit of Black activism and resilience or lack thereof in this case.
- “No brain needed” that really speaks to how I feel the film played it safe, possibly to appeal to a wider audience, but in the process, missed out on engaging with the audience at a deeper, intellectual level.
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