Sinners (2025) - Editing and/or Sound Design Film Review

Hey Everyone! Welcome back to Movie Insiders, where we give you the scoop on ALL your favorite movies! Unfortunately, this will be our final post :(! Anyways, today I will be diving into the latest hit movie, Sinners (2025) and discussing how its editing and sound design help contribute to the effectiveness of the movie. And if you haven't seen it yet, .......uh go watch it, i'll try not to spoil it now.

In Sinners, director Ryan Coogler delivers a masterpiece, if I say so myself, that intertwines horror, music, and historical elements. Set in 1932 Mississippi, the film follows twin brothers Smoke and Stack as they return to their hometown to open a juke joint, only to confront a supernatural evil that challenges their bonds and beliefs.

Editing:

Sinners is grounded in both character psychology and Southern myth and the editing of the film really bridges that gap between historical realism with horror surrealism and it does so masterfully. In the early scenes, there is a flow of looseness of a summer night by the use of extended takes, soft dissolves, and montage sequences that introduce the twin brothers rebuilding the juke joint and reconnecting with the community. The pacing is very slow and creates a sense of calmness in the movie for the audience. This changes dramatically once our supernatural elements come into the plot. When this happens, there visions of fire, chained ghosts, and mirrored version of the characters, and the editing does a perfect job at reflecting this. Cuts become quicker and more jarring, the frames overlap and time loops subtly. One particularly effective scene is when there is a dance floor progression during the night party. The camera spins, the lighting stutters, and the edits become rapid-fire.This shifting editing style makes the supernatural elements feel even more intrusive and heightens the emotional stakes, allowing the film’s tension to build naturally without ever feeling forced.

Visual Elements: The movies uses natural light, deep shadows, and earth tones to create a mixture that feels both grounded in realism and haunted by myth. The juke joint is always shot in warm, amber hues making it feel alive with sweat, smoke, and spirit as people come to party. The surrounding woods are covered in darkness, fog and silence.This creates a visual tension between community and isolation. Additionally, symbolism is everywhere in this movie. Religious iconography including burnt crosses, water basins, stained glass is repurposed visually to reflect themes of sin and false salvation. Also, the lighting also plays a crucial role. Scenes especially this one where the vampires are asking to be let in use sharp contrasts between light and darkness playing on the suspense of the movie and contrasting between the "good" and "evil" aspect of the movie.

Sound Design:

This movie has one of the best designs I've heard. It has multiple layers and it’s one of the film’s greatest storytelling tools. From the first frame, the film sets up a soundscape that feels both grounded and ghostly. Every creak of old wood, whisper of wind, and scrape of a record needle becomes loaded with tension, reminding you that there is something that lurks in the shadows. The blues music in the film isn’t just background or period-appropriate mood setting but direct us in the emotions of the movie. When Sammie plays/perform, the mix often isolates the instrument or vocal track, creating a sense of intimacy that draws in the audience. In one standout scene, the band plays in the juke joint while an off-screen presence seems to grow louder in the mix not through screams or dramatic effects, but through subtle distortions like the bassline becomes off-tempo, a harmony slips just slightly flat, and the natural acoustics start to feel warped. The audience may not immediately realize something is wrong, but they feel it and that is the presence of our antagonists. There are also subtle auditory moments like whispered voices in reverse, chains dragging across wood, and a woman humming a hymn that start quietly and intensify throughout the film, often reappearing when characters are alone or losing their grip on reality. These recurring sounds aren’t always explained, which is exactly what makes them effective. They signal trauma, memory, and our unholy presence that refuses to stay away.

Sinners stands as a testament to visionary storytelling. The film's editing and sound design come together to create a cinematic experience that is both thrilling and thought provoking. By mixing together elements of horror, music, and historical context, Sinners offers a unique exploration of identity, legacy, and the enduring power of music.​

Let me know if you watched the movie and how you liked it! Thanks for letting me give you the inside scoop on your favorite here on Movie Insider!

With love,

Willow