Since the beginning of time, humanity has had a disturbing fixation with brutal sports. From the gladiator fights of ancient Rome (which are still getting film adaptations to this day) to American football, a multibillion dollar industry with a rapidly increasing global footprint, watching people with exceptional physical prowess battle each other is an alluring spectacle that can entrance even the most pacifist person.
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That endorphin rush, social connection, and perhaps instinctual affinity to violence coupled with the broken bones, bruised skin, beaten brains, and bloody wounds of those who entertain us are all an intriguing foundation for a horror saga. Justin Tipping’s HIM tackles our religious allegiance to football, unsettling hero worship, sacrifice, and identity crisis in a surrealist thriller and warning siren wrapped in one strange package.
The film chronicles what Tyriq Withers did last summer as Cameron “Cam” Cade, a young quarterback whose life is a horror show. He exists within a family dynamic that has an obsessive and, as we later find out, sickening connection to professional football. Cam and his inner circle all live the Southern “God, Family, Football” ethos to the point that his entire existence and identity is all about becoming the next GOAT a.k.a. Greatest of All Time.
He wants to follow in the footsteps of his idol Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans). White is an eight-time champion, the quarterback for the San Antonio Saviors, and the best player to exist. Isaiah’s rise to GOAT status after an injury that nearly ended his career is the ultimate motivational blueprint for Cam as he enters the scouting combine.
Jordan peele him teaser trailer a man in football pants covered in blood with cheerleaders
Universal Pictures
A life-shaking injury nearly brings Cam to his knees. He struggles to process the constant chatter and discord around his future. Just when it seems his primary mission in life is impossible, a light appears at the end of the tunnel. He gets a chance to train with Isaiah at his remote compound and earn a spot with the Saviors. However, his dream soon unravels into a twisted nightmare as he deals with his own mental stability and the dark secrets that anchor Isaiah’s success. There is indeed a price to pay for fame and it is far beyond what Cam wants to wager.
After trailers and featurettes from HIM, it was still hard to fully get a lock on this film. Was it a psychological thriller, a cult-driven drama, or a straight up scary movie? It turns out it is all three, with the latter being true depending on the lens you place on HIM. There’s ample amounts of religious allegories through fandom worship and the concept of a “chosen one” to lead towards salvation/victory. The film’s title itself is a colloquial reference to a desire to be THAT GUY. You know, he’s the one whom everyone either wants to be or wants to, ahem, be with. Adonis-level looks, money, and adoring fans are the ultimate markers of success, right?
But, as Isaiah notes, the true gods of the game are not on the field. They perch in box office seats and sign checks. They are puppeteers who pull the strings of men and shape the course of a sport’s future. HIM’s examination of commodification of men’s bodies (and perhaps their personas) in professional sports is more prescient than ever. In today’s world, the lines between athlete and influencer become more blurred. Existing in that space with an unyielding devotion to reach excellence and the perpetual fight to stay on top is the story of Isaiah. He’s a talented yet corrupt man who is highly visible yet no one really sees him.
poster for jordan peele produced horror film him with a bloody football in a case
Monkeypaw Productions
His identity and entire existence centers on football. This is a terrible thing considering it is time for an aging Isaiah to hang up his cleats for good. Marlon Wayans is absolutely sublime in this role. He oscillates from laser focused mentor, sage historian, psychotic drill sergeant, and a crumbling shell of human with ease. We get to see a more sinister slant to his classic comedic chops mixed in with moments of menacing drama. At some points, his welcoming of violence and bizarre behavior is downright frightening.
You’ll often wonder why Cam doesn’t leave until you realize two truths. First, like Isaiah, his life revolves around his exceptional talent. And, well, he’s already too deep into the machinations of the gods that be. Tyriq Withers plays well with Wayans onscreen, depicting Cam as a handsome, all-American guy with a mostly upright and resolute approach to his future. But, the summation of his choices and isolation from his familial anchoring forces peel back layers. Underneath, there’s an undercurrent of rage and frustration. Without constraints and boundaries to process it, Cam becomes something… different in his quest to beat and BE the GOAT.
Interestingly, the word goat has a double meaning here, especially when you look at it from a religious perspective. A goat is a sacrificial animal and a symbol for redemption, like how the Bible details God sending his only son Jesus to die for our sins. And, who is Cam trying to play for? THE SAVIORS. You have to love the layers presented in this film.
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Justin Tipping rises to the challenge of toeing the line between dark sports epic and psychological thriller like an MVP. There are aesthetic choices that are clearly meant to sway audiences in a particular emotional direction. Meanwhile, others lend themselves to open interpretation. HIM’s cinematic approach to marrying football, body horror, and faith is truly a unique blend of taking the familiar visuals of the game and giving us a deeper vision into what happens in the body, thanks to cinematographer Kira Kelly (Shang Chi and Legend of the Ten Rings).
There are the classic horrors of death and a truth lurking in the shadows. But the real horror of losing yourself in an arcane machine designed to place you on a pedestal then tear you down when you break down is what’s really at play here. What are you willing to release, to keep, and to destroy to wear the crown? And, is that crown worth it?
The film builds with a steady and deft pace, going from quieter moments of terror and introspection to the braggadocious energy of football with fluidity. However, in its final act, the inevitable master/student faceoff moment feels a bit too rushed towards a finale that leaves many unanswered questions and conclusions that will cause speculation and theories galore. This is a Monkeypaw film, after all. While there’s often hunger for a sequel, this film satisfies the appetite as a multicourse meal.
Marlon Wayans and Tyriq Withers flex their muscles in HIM movie review
Universal Pictures
Speaking of meals, both Tyriq and Marlon look incredibly delicious. The physiques are giving what they need to give, and that was a key part of my enjoyment. The duo went through intense training to not only get into professional athlete shape but to also refine their movements and look like top-tier quarterbacks. Mission accomplished, gentlemen.
Overall, HIM is a thrill ride coasting between the harsh realities behind football’s allure and a frightening possibility of what power and praise can do to a man.
HIM sprints to theaters on September 19.