Ranking Ryan Coogler's Directorial Works: From Fruitvale Station to Sinners

With the release of Sinners, I wanted to watch through all of Ryan Coogler's films. Ryan Coogler is a direction that has not made a bad film yet and has been involved in multiple big franchises with Rocky and the MCU. He is also a filmmaker that makes films with a predominantly African American cast, which is much needed as aside from a few others (Spike Lee and Jordan Peele for example), it isn't super common. He is also great at telling stories with complex messages and deep themes. Another commonality with all of his films is that he has cast Michael B. Jordan in every single film. With all that said, here is my thoughts and ranking of Ryan Coogler's five films.

5. Fruitvale Station

Fruitvale Station is the first film by Ryan Coogler and is also his most grounded film. The movie tells the story of Oscar Grant before he meets his fate in the infamous Fruitvale Station on New Year's Eve 2008. This movie is just a straightforward drama about a day in the life of this man before he meets his tragic end. The movie was a bit ahead of its time both as a movie and the events in real life as it was a bit of a precursor to the Black Lives Matter movement as well as predates several of the police incidents and subsequent protests/riots we saw in 2020. Out of all of the films, this one probably has the best Michael B Jordan performance as he has to rely more on his own acting skills than any big-budget action. I thought the structure of the movie was very well done. The movie does a great job of building the relatability of the character as you see Oscar go through a seemingly normal day with his friends and family. However, during all of this, you also have this underlying sense of dread as you know something is going to happen. The ending of the film is very heavy and emotional but also very effective at conveying the severity of what happened. The reason this movie is lower on this list is just that it was a bit too heavy for my taste and with every movie on this list being good something has to be at the bottom. Overall, this is a solid directorial debut but something had to be at the bottom of this list.

Score: 7.5/10 Grade: B

4. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a very well-done movie. This movie was dealt a really bad hand between production during a pandemic as well as the death of its lead actor. However, against all odds, the MCU was able to deliver a truly special film. The film does a great job as a tribute to Chadwick Boseman by allowing his presence to be felt throughout the film. The film also does a great job of allowing the characters to cope with T'Challa's death in their own ways. Shuri and Queen Ramonda are really given a chance to shine as they both give great performances. The way Namor is handled as the villain is also well done. The movie allows Namor to see himself as the hero of his own story which always makes for the best villains. The only thing that keeps this from number 2 is that I felt the movie was a bit too long and jumped around a bit too much in the beginning. Had it been tightened by about 15 minutes I think it would have made for a much better film. In the end, this movie does a great job of handling the hand it was dealt. It is a bit heavy at times but I think it does a great and respectful job of paying tribute to Chadwick Boseman

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+

3. Black Panther

Black Panther is the only Ryan Coogler film to get nominated for Best Picture. The film is so original and speaks such a good message. The whole movie is focused on Wakanda and its culture which is a nice change of pace from the usual MCU. Killmonger is also one of the best villains in the MCU with his motivations and personality. His argument and viewpoint are so good and well made that he actually wins the moral debate in the movie and causes Black Panther to change his mind. You can also understand where Killmonger's anger comes from and how the mistakes of T'Challa's father still haunt him in this movie. The only thing that keeps this movie from being higher is that it went a little CGI-heavy in the third act specifically the part when there is a fight when falling down a train shaft and the Wakanda battle rhinos. Overall, this is a top tier Superhero movie and a film that really put Ryan Coogler on the map.

Score: 8.5/10 Grade: A-

2. Creed

Creed is not only one of my favorite Ryan Coogler films but it is also one of my favorite Rocky films. This movie does a great job of continuing the legacy of the Rocky movies while shifting the focus to a new character and his story. One of the best parts of the movie is the bond between Adonis and Rocky. It isn't quite a father-son type of bond but still, this closeness shines throughout the movie. This movie probably has the best Sylvester Stallone performance in any of the Rocky movies which makes sense considering he got nominated for an Oscar. I also thought the story of Adonis himself was very good. It focuses on Adonis trying to create a name for himself on his own merits while also struggling to balance that with living up to his father's legacy. I also liked the love story aspect between Adonis and Bianca and think in some ways it is done a bit better than the Rocky and Adrian love story. The movie does have some callbacks and similarities to the Rocky movies but in general, I think it does a good job of establishing its own tone and story. In the end, this is not just a great Ryan Coogler and Rocky movie but also just a great sports movie and may become a modern classic.

Score: 8.5/10 Grade: A-

1. Sinners

Sinners is the newest film from Ryan Coogler and the best one he has put out. Sinners is a very effective genre blender bringing in aspects of horror, historical drama, music, and romance. I liked the historical setting of the film. It does a great job of making the audience feel like they are in the 1930s South. I also thought the horror elements were very well done. They don't get all goofy with the kills but there is still enough in there for horror fans to enjoy. The characters are also very well written so that you care when they die instead of in more traditional horror movies where the characters are one-dimensional and are just there to be killed. I liked the heavy music elements of the film. It isn't a musical or anything but the movie does have aspects of it that are a love letter to the legacy of blues music and its relationship to African American culture. Overall, this is a great horror movie and further proof that Ryan Coogler is a very promising director capable of being one of the greats.

Score: 9/10 Grade: A