REVIEW — “HIM”

Like a nightmarish Nike ad, Jordan Peele’s sinister and stylish HIM is a disturbing look at the sacrifice for greatness within the cult of American football.

Having Jordan Peele’s name attached as a producer has become a near-guarantee of thought-provoking, genre-bending horror. With his production company, Monkeypaw, Peele has cultivated a reputation for films (Get Out, Us, Nope) that use the supernatural or unsettling to explore deep-seated societal issues.

With HIM, director and co-writer Justin Tipping, alongside screenwriters Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie, marries the world of professional football with psychological horror. At first glance, the film has the potential to be a gripping, modern-day, Faustian cautionary tale. Yet, while it delivers a few powerful plays, the disjointed film ultimately fails to score.

HIM follows Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers), a college football phenom whose career is derailed by a bizarre injury. He receives a lifeline in the form of an invitation to train with his childhood hero, the legendary quarterback Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans). What begins as a mentorship quickly descends into a dark, disorienting journey. As the next would-be G.O.A.T., promising newcomer Withers gives a haunted performance.

Wayans, in a role that trades his comedic prowess for chilling intensity, is the film’s MVP. His performance as the charismatic, yet increasingly menacing, Isaiah is the film’s sole source of genuine tension. Wayans expertly navigates the fine line between motivational mentor and unhinged manipulator, hinting at a sinister secret lurking beneath his well-crafted exterior.

The film also features darkly dramatic performances from two other notable comedians: alternative comedy legend Tim Heidecker as Cam’s shady sports agent, and Australian comic Jim Jefferies as Isaiah’s conflicted medical trainer.

Director Tipping employs a variety of stylish visual flourishes, from X-ray-style cuts of bone-crushing tackles to ominous red lighting in Isaiah’s underground compound. While these choices contribute to a consistently unsettling atmosphere, they often feel like style over substance. Like the filmmakers are trying to cover for a lack of a cohesive plot.

The story meanders through half-baked ideas about the physical and psychological toll of football, the cult of celebrity, and the dangers of idol worship. It throws in religious and occult symbolism without ever committing to a clear thematic through-line. Mysteries are introduced and then abandoned, leaving the audience to wonder what the ultimate point is.

While an interesting, albeit, disturbing watch, HIM is a largely forgettable film. By the time it reaches its brutal conclusion (which is admittedly rad), it has squandered its most compelling elements. Trying to be a profound commentary on the brutality of the sport and the cost of greatness, its execution is too shallow to deliver. It’s an empty spectacle, relying on gory visuals and an admittedly strong central performance to mask its narrative shortcomings. For a film with a promising premise and a standout performance from Marlon Wayans, HIM is a disappointing fumble. 2.5/5

HIM is rated R for strong bloody violence, language throughout, sexual material, nudity and some drug use. With a running time of 1 hours, 36 minutes, HIM opens only in theaters on September 19, 2025.