India, April 18 -- Filmmaker Ryan Coogler has never been one to play by the rules. From the grounded realism of Fruitvale Station to the mythic world-building of Black Panther, his films thrive on a collision of emotional depth and cinematic spectacle. With Sinners, he dives headfirst into uncharted territory-a horror-thriller set in 1930s Mississippi that's equal parts supernatural showdown and soulful meditation on history, race, and music. It's bold, brash, and bursting with ideas. Drawing inspiration from the legend of bluesman Robert Johnson selling his soul at the crossroads, Sinners is Ryan's most stylistically ambitious film yet.

At the heart of the film is Sammie (Miles Caton), a prodigious blues musician and preacher's son whos...