Okay, so I really wanted to like *Him*. It’s trying to do something different – a mix of sports drama and horror, specifically getting into the psychological side of things. But honestly, it felt pretty limited in who it would appeal to, and the movie didn’t really *try* to broaden that appeal. It’s a shame, because the actors were fantastic, but the film prioritized style over a solid story, and ultimately that held it back from being truly great.
The film *Him* centers on Cameron “Cam” Cade (Tyriq Withers), a promising young quarterback entering the NFL. Before Cam can become a football legend, he needs to learn from his idol, veteran quarterback and team captain Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans). Cam attends a private training camp hosted by Isaiah at his secluded desert estate, only to discover that Isaiah demands complete loyalty to the camp, the team, and the entire football lifestyle. Initially, Cam believes he’s committed enough to achieve greatness, feeling obligated to his loved ones and fans. But as he gets closer to the world of sports fame, he realizes that reaching the top will come at a steep price – potentially costing him his physical and mental well-being, and even his soul.
Justin Tipping’s earlier film, *Kicks* (2016), used sneakers and the culture around them to explore themes of class and society within an unusual urban adventure. His new film, *Him* (produced by Jordan Peele), follows a similar creative approach, but shifts from adventure to horror and amps up the surreal, dreamlike quality. This horror story, which uses the setting of a sports camp, feels like a series of loosely connected scenes. We follow Cam as he experiences increasingly strange, violent, and disturbing events at the camp, often stretching the limits of believability. It’s hard to imagine anyone spending much time with Isaiah and his group, but Tipping and cinematographer Kira Kelley create enough visually striking moments to keep you engaged.
The screenplay, written by Skip Bronkie, Zack Akers, and Tipping, doesn’t quite make Isaiah’s story or his world feel authentic enough to be truly convincing. From the moment Cam arrives, the film feels more like a strange, elaborate dream an athlete might have before starting training. While Tipping clearly has grand artistic goals – and some viewers might see this as a thoughtful commentary on modern sports, race, class, and capitalism – much of it feels forced and pretentious instead of genuinely insightful. This often results in unintentional humor, and even absurdity. The film’s ending is particularly outlandish, both in terms of story and visuals, and arguably pushes the movie into overly ridiculous territory.
The film largely relies on strong performances from Tyriq Withers and Marlon Wayans to keep it engaging. Wayans is particularly captivating as Isaiah, skillfully balancing charm and instability, often within the same scene. Withers does a decent job as Cam, the naive newcomer caught in a disturbing world, though his reactions sometimes feel surprisingly subdued considering the intense situations he faces. When he finally gets to show more emotion, the change feels abrupt. The casting of Julia Fox as Isaiah’s wife, Elsie – and essentially playing herself as a social media influencer – highlights how lost the film is in its own style. Some scenes with Elsie feel more like content for Fox’s social media than part of the movie itself, and it’s a strange effect.
Considering how well horror movies have been doing this year, *Him* feels like a missed opportunity – a promising idea that just didn’t quite come together.
Review Score: 2 out of 5 stars
The new movie *Him* is now showing in theaters. It lasts 1 hour and 36 minutes and has an R rating due to strong violence, strong language, sexual content, nudity, and some drug use.
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2025-09-19 22:11