Sinners (in theaters)

Music is the blood of life.

That’s one of the many themes tangled up in Ryan Coogler’s fantastic new vampire film, “Sinners.” It’s a sprawling, engaging take on everything from history and culture to the thematic nature of vampirism, with blood, action, and some incredible music. If the movie has a sin it’s that it’s too ambitious, trying to fit all of this into a runtime of just over two hours. The time limit means there are some plot threads Coogler can’t stitch up, but the story we get is so mesmerizing it’s hard to be upset. Even if it’s not flawless, it’s one of the best movies in years.

Set in Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1932, “Sinners” follows twin brothers as they return home after a stint as mob enforcers in Chicago. They’re hoping to open a juke joint, but threat of the Ku Klux Klan puts everyone on edge. When a group of mysterious visitors show up, however, the brothers and their friends realize there are far more supernatural dangers as well.

Though the movie is full of great performances, the best set is from Michael B. Jordan. He plays both twins, nicknamed Smoke and Stack respectively, and he makes it easy to always tell them apart. They have their own mannerisms, though they’re clearly used to working together, and their complex relationships with the women they love are different but equally rich.

It’s the same with everything that happens onscreen, including some incredible musical numbers and a fascinating credits scene. The story may be too big for the movie, but it’s all worth savoring.

Grade: Three and a half stars

Fight or Flight (in theaters)

If you’re looking for a movie that’s the textbook definition of fun violence, check out “Fight or Flight.”

This breezy, bloody free-for-all is so wacky the violence comes off as entertainingly cartoonish rather than dark. The protagonists are also surprisingly likable, with leads that are more complicated than expected and some entertaining supporting characters. The action set pieces are well done, with entertaining, creative use of some unexpected items, and the main villains are exactly the right kind of evil for a show like this. Though the movie doesn’t try for anything like thematic complexity, the characters even have a little depth if you look closely enough. If you’re an action fan, it’s the cinematic equivalent of a chocolate sundae covered in sprinkles.

The movie starts with a secret agency trying to track down the Ghost, a mysterious figure who’d recently broken into a prized facility. When the Ghost slips away, the only person who can track them down is a disgraced Secret Service agent who has been hunted by assassins for the last several years. The head of the agency is his ex-girlfriend, and she makes him a deal – if he brings the Ghost to them alive, she’ll clear his name. Unfortunately for him, the reality of the situation proves to be far more complicated.

There’s an obvious sequel hook at the end, and I for one am crossing my fingers hoping it happens. Action movies are rarely this silly and this entertaining at the same time, and I’d love to see more.

Grade: Three stars

Jenniffer Wardell is an award-winning movie critic and member of the Utah Film Critics Association. Drop her a line at [email protected].