Sinners – the devil dances, but the Son rises

By Fr Robert Christo

Vicar for Communication

“When you dance with the devil, he follows you home.” That line resonates profoundly within me after watching this movie. It echoes like a steelpan solo in a funeral procession—chilling, catchy, and convicting.

I’ll confess: I almost didn’t go. I’m a coward when it comes to provocatively violent films—especially ones where evil is in your face (I embarrassingly blocked my eyes during most of the gory scenes) and blood flows like the Caroni river water in the rainy season.

But Sinners pulled me in. It’s no popcorn movie—it’s a gritty spiritual battleground between despair and deliverance; where blues, blood, and faith collide. To me, it is a cinematic exorcism.

The film follows ‘Sammie’, a gifted guitarist caught between ancestral rhythms and the Christian call. Along with his brother, he falls under the sway of ‘Remmick’, a vampire-like figure promising freedom, “unity”, and escape, but at the soul’s expense. “I am,”  he tells them, “your way out.”  He mockingly dunks Sammie in water three times as he prepares to bite and finally possess him.

The acting? Powerful. Michael B Jordan delivers a phenomenal dual role—both as twin brothers and moral foils—earning him critical acclaim and awards. The movie received awards for Best Cinematic Score, and Cinematography. The visuals alone—dusky Southern sunsets and bone-chilling baptisms—make this a masterpiece of visual theology.

Theologically, it’s a rollercoaster. The Lord’s Prayer is recited not in a cathedral but knee-deep in a haunted lake, as good and evil wrestle for a young soul. US Bishop Robert Barron’s team calls it “a perversion of grace that dramatises the real power of Baptism by contrast.”

And the film’s final moments—sacrifice, sunrise, Baptism (with newborn ‘Elijah’ who is not handed over to the father until he puts out his cigarette, a subtle sign of interior conversion) and freedom—clearly show good triumphing over evil.

Yet the Catholic News Service rated Sinners “O – morally offensive,” noting its embrace of “southern  folk magic” spirituality over sacramental grace, and its “Gospel-discordant” framing of Christianity as colonial baggage.

So, is it good for catechesis? Not directly. While the film begins with the assertion “We are all sinners,” it ultimately suggests that this identity need not define us forever.

This perspective aligns with Catholic teachings on sin and redemption, emphasising that through grace, transformation is always possible.

The movie is far too graphic for youth. But for adult faith formation or a guided film-and-faith discussion, it could spark deep dialogue around: spiritual warfare; temptation and sin; the dignity of Black spirituality; cultural versus sacramental expressions of grace.

Yes, the blood is plenty, the horror real, and the music—oh, the music and dancing—are soul-rending! But the message? Evil doesn’t get the last word. Grace might be gritty, but it’s still grace.

In Caribbean terms: this ain’t no Sunday school storyboard. It’s more like J’ouvert meets Gethsemane. But Christ shines through. The devil dances, yes—but the Son rises!

Post viewing, it has come to light through interviews and production notes that Sinners may have included actual invocations and rituals rooted in voodoo and other occult traditions during key scenes. I now strongly dissuade and urge viewers, if still desirous, to approach it with serious spiritual caution, prayer, and the guidance of the Church, especially where real rituals are re-enacted without context or critique. Evil should not be entertained, even in the name of art.

As Catholics, we are not called to avoid darkness out of fear—but to name it, renounce it, and remain anchored in the light of Christ. (cf Catechism of the Catholic Church 2217)