It is surprising that sports films and horror films have so rarely shared the same space. That is why the trailer for the Jordan Peele–produced sports horror film Him made such an impact online when it was first released. The sports world, particularly the brutal culture of football, holds untapped potential for unnerving stories. Unfortunately, while Him is entertaining, it falls well short of the greatness it strives for.
The film follows Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers), a college quarterback whose success on the field has positioned him as the top prospect in the fictional UFLL draft. During a nighttime practice, however, he is attacked by a crazed fan. The incident leaves him with a severe concussion, forces him to miss the combine and sends him into a deep depression.
Despite the incident, Cam regains hope when his agent (Tim Heidecker) calls with an invitation from his idol, San Antonio Saviors quarterback Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans). White, nearing the end of his career after eight championships, wants Cam to train with him for a week at his remote facility. He also wants to see if Cam has what it takes to be the greatest of all time—in other words, to be “him.” What follows is a brutal, nightmarish boot camp as Cam tries to uncover whether other forces lie behind Isaiah’s success.
“Unfortunately, while Him is entertaining, it falls well short of the greatness it strives for.”
The film explores toxic masculinity and the cruel, demanding culture surrounding football. In the opening scene, a young Cam watches Isaiah suffer a gruesome, bone-protruding leg injury. His father, a devoted Saviors fan, forces him to watch and insists that sacrifice is what real men do. That belief is instilled in Cam throughout his life, fuelling his relentless drive to be the best—a drive Isaiah manipulates throughout the film.
One particularly effective sequence depicts a passing drill where the penalty for going too slow is having Cam’s teammate repeatedly struck in the face by a football launcher at point-blank range. To Isaiah, and many like him, mangled bodies, family ties and even empathy are meaningless. They are simply part of the “necessary” sacrifice demanded by the game and the pursuit of greatness.
The strongest aspect of Him is Marlon Wayans’ impressively sinister turn as Isiah. Playing a hybrid of Training Day’s Alonzo Harris and Whiplash’s Terence Fletcher, Wayans is captivating as he flips between charm and sadism.
Among the rest of the cast, Tyriq Withers has far more to do here than in the poorly received I Know What You Did Last Summer requel. He redeems himself with a solid lead performance. The supporting cast also delivers memorable moments, including Julia Fox as Isiah’s influencer wife and Jim Jefferies as the Saviors’ sardonic team doctor.
Director Justin Tipping and cinematographer Kira Kelly give the film a striking visual style. Standout imagery includes the use of X-ray cameras to capture skull-crunching football collisions. Cam’s concussion triggers phantasmagorical hallucinations, and the film is at its most effective when it leans into the psychological ambiguity of his experiences. Not every stylistic flourish succeeds, however. The religious imagery is delivered with little subtlety, from the team name “Saviours” to a tableau replicating The Last Supper.
Him’s weaknesses become more apparent as the movie goes on. Even though the film explores some interesting ideas, it abandons the more compelling psychological aspects in favour of a predictable religious and supernatural approach. The third act falters when the Devil’s Advocate-style explanations for the boot camp’s ritualistic methods are revealed.
“The strongest aspect of Him is Marlon Wayans’ impressively sinister turn as Isaiah.”
The resolution relies on characters and plot points that were either forgotten entirely or introduced less than 10 minutes before, leaving it rushed and unconvincing. Cam’s concussion, for example, suddenly stops being a factor. The film even attempts a Ready or Not-style, crowd-pleasing bloodbath. While it is entertaining in the moment, it feels unearned.
And yet, despite its flaws, I can’t bring myself to dislike Him. Its ambitions exceed its execution, but I was never bored or disengaged. It’s not the next greatest of all time, or even a starting player, but it is serviceable enough to make the bench.
